LAMER  OFIHECAVALRY 


GWEML 
CHARLES 
KING*** 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 


"TELL  HIM  THAT  I'D  LIKE  AN  EXTENSION  OF  ARREST." 

Page  143 


Lanier  of  the  Cavalry 


or 


A  Week's  Arrest 


By 

GENERAL  CHARLES  KING 

Author  of"  The  Colonel's  Daughter,"  "  Marion's  Faith, 

"  Captain  Blake,"  "  Foes  in  Ambush," 

"  Under  Fire,"  etc. 


With  illustrations  by 
FRANK  McKERNAN 


Philadelphia  £3*  London 

J.  B.  Lippincott  Company 
1909 


COPYRIGHT,  1909 

BY 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


Published  April,  1909 


Printed  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  Company 
The  Washington  Square  Press,  Philadelphia,  U.  S.  A. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGB 

"TELL  HIM  THAT   I'D   LIKE  AN  EXTENSION  OF 
ARREST.  "   Frontispiece 

"  MR.  LANIER,  Go  TO  YOUR  ROOM  IN  ARREST  "  . .     26 

"  BUT  Do  YOU  MEAN  COLONEL  BUTTON  ACCUSED 
MR.  LANIER  OF  THOSE  LETTERS!" 195 


M61J 


LANIER  OF  THE 
CAVALRY 


THE  sun  was  sinking  low  beyond  the 
ford  of  the  foaming  Platte.  The  distant 
bluffs  commanding  the  broad  valley  of  the 
Sweetwater  stood  sharp  and  clear  against 
the  westward  skies.  The  smoke  from  the 
camp-fires  along  the  stream  rose  in  misty 
columns  straight  aloft,  for  not  so  much  as 
a  breath  of  breeze  had  wafted  down  from 
the  far  snow  fields  of  Cloud  Peak,  or  the 
sun-sheltered  rifts  of  the  Big  Horn.  The 
flag  at  the  old  fort,  on  the  neighboring 
height,  clung  to  the  staff  with  scarcely  a 
flutter,  awaiting  the  evening  salute  of  the 
trumpets  and  the  roar  of  the  sunset  gun. 

The  long  June  day  had  seemed  unusu 
ally  unconscionably  long  to  the  young  girl 
flitting  restlessly  about  the  vine-covered 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

vvi  of  the  roadside  cottage.  She  laid 
the  big  binocular  aside,  for  perhaps  the 
twentieth  time  within  the  hour,  with  a  sigh 
of  impatience,  a  piteous  quiver  about  the 
pretty,  rosebud  mouth,  a  wistful,  longing 
look  in  the  dark  and  dreamy  eyes,  fiver 
since  stable  call,  and  her  father's  depart 
ure  to  his  never-neglected  duty,  she  nad 
hovered  about  that  shaded  nook,  again 
and  again  searching  the  northward  slopes 
and  ridges.  The  scouts  had  been  in  three 
hours  ago,  reporting  the  squadron  only  a 
mile  or  so  behind.  It  should  have  dis 
mounted,  unsaddled,  fed,  watered,  and 
groomed  by  this  time,  and  Eawdon  should 
have  been  here  at  her  side — Eawdon, 
whom  she  had  not  seen  for  three  mortal 
days — Eawdon,  whom,  for  three  mortal 
weeks  before  the  march,  she  had  not 
missed  seeing  sometimes  several  times  a 
day,  even  when  he  was  on  guard — 
Eawdon,  whom  she  had  never  set  eyes  on 
before  the  first  of  April,  and  whom  now 
she  looked  upon  as  the  foremost  soldier 

6 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

of  the  regiment,  when  in  point  of  fact  he 
was  but  a  private  trooper,  serving  the 
first  part  of  his  first  enlistment,  in  the 
eyes  of  his  elders  a  mere  recruit,  and  in 
those  of  Sergeant  Fitzroy  an  unspeakable 
thing. 

Another  long  peep  through  the  signal 
glasses,  another  sigh,  and  then  she  came, 
this  girl  of  seventeen,  in  her  dainty  white 
frock,  and  plumped  herself  dejectedly 
down  on  the  top  step,  with  two  very 
shapely,  slender,  slippered  feet  displayed 
on  the  second  below,  two  dimpled  elbows 
planted  on  her  knees,  two  flushed,  soft, 
rounded  cheeks  buried  in  two  long  and 
slender  hands.  Away  over  at  the  stables 
she  could  hear  the  tap,  tap,  of  curry-comb 
on  brush-back,  as  the  First  Squadron 
groomed  its  fidgety  mounts.  Away  up 
the  valley  the  voices  of  the  children  in 
the  Arapahoe  village  rose  gleefully  on  the 
air.  Away  up  among  the  barracks  and 
quarters  at  the  fort,  the  band  of  the  Infan 
try  was  playing  sweet  melody.  Peace, 
content,  and  harmony  were  roundabout 

7 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

her,  but  the  dark  eyes,  welling  with  un 
shed  tears,  told  of  a  troubled  heart. 

And  then  of  a  sudden  the  tears  were 
dashed  away  and  the  girl  sprang  to  her 
feet.  A  blithe  voice  hailed  her  from 
within. 

"Dey 's  comin',  Miss  Dora — two  on 
'em,  at  least — like  enough  to  be  twin 
brudders." 

The  girl  ran  to  the  northward  corner 
again  and  gazed  out  across  the  rushing, 
swollen  river.  Not  so  much  as  a  sign  of 
a  dust-cloud  to  tell  of  marching  cavalry, 
and  she  turned  again,  with  rebuke  ready 
on  her  tongue,  but  again  the  voice  from 
within : 

" Comin'  t  'other  way,  chile.  Must  ha' 
took  the  lower  fohd  and  rode  roun'  back 
o'  de  stables,"  and,  with  the  words,  a 
laughing  " mammy"  came  bustling  to  the 
front  door,  a  cool  white  pitcher  in  one 
hand,  a  tray  with  glasses  in  the  other. 

"Ah  know  well  'nuff  what  brings  de 
lieutenant  round  dis  way.  As  for  dat — 
8 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

trash — wid  him" — and  here  came  a 
chuckle  of  delight  at  her  own  wit — "he 
just  cain't  help  hisself."  But  Dora  was 
not  listening.  Light  as  a  bird  she  had 
flown  to  the  other  end  of  the  little  porch 
and  was  gazing  out  through  the  honey 
suckles  with  all  her  soul  in  her  eyes. 

Coming  up  the  slope  at  easy  canter  rode 
a  young  officer,  with  broad-brimmed  hat 
and  dusty  field  dress,  alert,  slender,  sin 
ewy,  of  only  medium  height  and  not  more 
than  twenty-five  years,  with  a  handsome, 
sun-tanned,  smiling  face,  a  picture  of 
healthful,  wholesome  young  manhood, 
and  behind  him,  at  the  regulation  dis 
tance,  came  what  Aunt  Chloe,  in  her 
"  darky "  dialect  more  than  once  had  de 
clared  "the  very  spit  of  him" — a  young 
trooper  in  similar  slouch  hat  and  dusty 
field  dress,  younger,  probably,  by  three  or 
four  years,  but  to  the  full  as  alert  and 
active,  as  healthful  and  wholesome  to  look 
at,  his  face  now  all  aglow  with  a  light  that 
was  sweet  for  girlish  eyes  to  see. 

9 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

The  leader  swung  his  hat  and  blithely 
shouted  as  he  curbed  his  eager  horse. 
"  Howdy,  Miss  Dora.  Bless  your  heart, 
AuntChloe,!  knew  you  'd  have  the  butter 
milk  ready!  No,  Rawdon,  I  shan't  dis 
mount  " — this  to  the  young  "orderly," 
who  had  sprung  from  saddle  and,  with 
his  rein  over  his  arm,  stood  ready  to  take 
that  of  his  officer.  ' '  Merciful  saints !  but 
isn't  that  good  after  thirty  miles  of 
alkali!"  He  had  swallowed  a  brimming 
goblet  of  the  cool,  refreshing  drink,  and 
Chloe  was  delightedly  refilling.  ' '  Father 
home,  Miss  Dora!"  he  went  on  cheerily. 

"Over  at  the  stables,  Mr.  Lanier,"  was 
the  smiling  answer.  The  face  of  the  girl 
was  sunshine  and  roses  now,  yet  merely 
a  glance  or  two  had  passed,  for  Trooper 
Rawdon  had  instantly  swung  once  more 
into  saddle  and  was  reining  back  to  his 
place. 

"Stables  going  yet?  "Why,  I  thought 
it  must  be  supper  time.  Colonel  sent  me 
ahead  to  find  him.  Three  of  'E'  Troop 
10 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

horses  act  like  they  'd  been  eating  loco- 
weed.  That  's  what  kept  us." 

"  Colonel  Button  's  always  findin'  some 
way  of  sendin'  you  in  ahaid,  Marse 
Lanier, ' '  grinned  Chloe.  * '  Ah  don 't  won 
der  dey  says  you  can  do  anything  you 
like  an'  never  get  hauled  up  for  it." 

"  You  're  a  gossip,  Auntie,"  laughed 
Lanier.  "The  colonel  would  cinch  me 
quick  as  the  next  man  if  I  happened  to 
rub  his  fur  the  wrong  way.  One  more 
swig  now  and  I  'm  off.  Tastes  almost 
like  the  South  again,  does  n't  it?" 

"Lak  de  Souf!"  Aunt  Chloe  bristled, 
indignant.  "Sho!  Dat's  no  more  lak  de 
buttermilk  we  makes  dan  dat  ar'  hawse 
is  lak  de  racers  at  Belle  Mead.  Cows  got 
to  have  white  clover,  Marse  Lanier,  an' 
white  clover  don't  grow  in  dis  Gawd  foh- 
saken  country." 

"It 's  good  all  the  same.  Thank  you, 
heartily,  Miss  Dora.  You,  too,  Auntie. 
Er — Bawdon,  you  dismount  and  wait  for 

Doctor  Mayhew  in  case  I  miss  him.    Give 
11 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

him  the  colonel's  message  and  say  the 
squadron  should  be  in  by  7.30."  And 
with  that  and  a  wave  of  his  hand  and  a 
smiling  good-night,  he  took  the  rein  of 
the  troop  horse  and  away  they  sped  to  the 
stables. 

Then  Chloe  vanished  opportunely.  The 
young  trooper  stood  one  instant  looking 
gratefully  after  his  officer  and  those  cur 
vetting  steeds,  eager  to  reach  their  home 
and  supper.  Dora,  with  glistening  eyes 
and  glowing  cheeks,  retreated  within  the 
shelter  of  the  bowered  porch.  Then, 
bounding  up  the  steps  and  turning 
with  outstretched  arms,  thither  Eawdon 
followed. 

Ten  minutes  later,  at  swift  trot,  came  a 
third  horse  and  rider,  the  horse  all  that  a 
cavalry  horse  should  be  in  gait  and  build, 
the  rider  well  nigh  as  marked  in  build  and 
proportions.  He,  too,  was  well-made  and 
muscular,  though  somewhat  heavy  and 
stocky;  he  was  as  soldierly,  if  not  as 
young,  as  the  two  so  recently  there  in 
12 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

saddle.  It  was  the  face  that  repelled,  for 
it  was  black  with  wrath  and  suspicion.  In 
front  of  the  little  cottage  of  the  veteri 
nary  surgeon  he  hurriedly  dismounted, 
threw  the  reins  over  the  post  at  the  horse 
block,  and  strode,  angering,  through  the 
gate.  The  murmur  of  blissful  voices  had 
ceased  at  first  sight  of  him.  Dora,  her  face 
paling,  met  him  at  the  head  of  the  steps. 

Hardly  noticing  her  by  look  or  word, 
he  brushed  by,  turned  sharp  to  his  left, 
and  in  an  instant  the  two  men  were  face 
to  face. 

"Rawdon,"  spoke  the  new-comer,  his 
tone  curt,  domineering,  insolent,  "what 
do  you  mean  by  letting  an  officer  lead 
your  horse  to  stables?  Go  you  to  yours 
at  once !  Take  my  horse,  too,  and  groom 
him." 

Rawdon  flushed  to  his  forehead,  said 
not  a  word,  came  forth  into  the  light,  and 
then  turned  squarely. 

"My  orders  were  from  Lieutenant 
Lanier,  sergeant,  and  they  were  distinctly 
to  stop  here." 

13 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Go  you  at  once  and  do  as  I  say,"  was 
the  instant  rejoinder,  and  the  veins  in 
the  sergeant's  face  were  swelled  almost 
to  bursting.  His  eyes  were  fiery,  his  lips 
were  quivering  in  his  wrath. 

"  Indeed,  Sergeant  Fitzroy,"  began  the 
girl  rebukefully,  "  those  were  Lieutenant 
Lanier's  orders." 

"Hang  Lieutenant  Lanier's  orders! 
No  stripling  sub  can  give  such  orders  in 
this  regiment.  How  dare  you  delay  there  1 
Go,  you  townskip,  or  I  '11  kick  you  through 
the " 

But  now  with  blazing  eyes  Dora  May- 
hew  threw  herself  in  front  of  him.  Tall, 
lithe,  and  slender  herself,  she  seemed  just 
the  height  of  the  young  trooper  she  de 
fended.  "If  you  raise  hand  or  foot 
against  Eawdon,  Sergeant  Fitzroy,  it 's 
the  last  time  you  come  inside  our  gate. 
No,  I  '11  not  stand  aside !  Before  you 
strike  him  you  '11  have  to  strike  me." 

And  then  and  there  Sergeant  Fitzroy 
realized  that  the  fears  and  forebodings  of 

14 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  past  month  were  more  than  grounded. 
If  angered  before,  he  was  maddened  now. 
Brushing  her  light  form  aside  with  one 
sweep  of  his  powerful  arm,  he  sprang 
forward  at  the  young  soldier's  throat  just 
as  a  tall,  lean  man,  with  grizzled  beard 
but  athletic  build,  bounded  up  the  steps 
and  caught  his  wrist. 

' '  None  of  that  in  my  house,  Fitzroy ! ' ' 
came  the  order,  stern  and  compelling. 
"In  God's  name,  what  does  this  mean!" 
And,  still  grasping  the  sergeant's  arm, 
the  speaker,  with  his  face  nearly  as  white 
as  his  stable  frock,  fairly  backed  the  rag 
ing  Englishman  against  the  wooden  pillar 
and  held  him  there. 

"Let  go,  Mayhew!"  raved  the  sergeant. 
"I-'ve  ordered  that  young  rip  to  stables, 
and  he  refuses  to  go." 

"He  was  ordered  to  stay,  papa,  until 
you  came,"  protested  Dora,  her  eyes 
ablaze.  i '  Lieutenant  Lanier — that  man 's 
superior  officer — gave  him  the  colonel's 
message  to  you." 

15 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"He  was  ordered  to  go  by  Lieutenant 
Lanier's  superior,  the  offieer-of-the-day, 
whom  I  represent,"  was  Fitzroy's 
answer;  "and  the  longer  he  stays  the 
worse  'twill  be  for  him." 

* '  No  officer  ever  authorized  you  to  come 
to  my  quarters  and  lay  violent  hands  on  a 
man  behaving  like  a  gentleman,  which 
you  are  not,"  was  the  cutting  rejoinder 
of  the  older  man,  and  it  stung  Fitzroy  to 
fresh  fury.  Was  he,  the  model  rider  of 
the  regiment,  to  be  braved  like  this,  and 
in  presence  of  the  girl  he  loved? 

"Let  go!  You  must,  Mayhew!"  he 
hissed  through  clenched  teeth.  "You  have 
no  authority.  You  are  only  a  civilian. 
You  can  be  broke  and  fired  if  I  report 
this— outrage — and  what  I  know.  Let 
go !  he  shouted,  freeing  himself  by  furi 
ous  effort.  "Now,  you,  Eawdon,  come 
with  me.  No.  Stop!  Corporal  Watts!" 
he  shouted,  to  a  non-commissioned  officer, 
swinging  up  the  pathway  toward  the 
guard-house  on  the  bluff,  four  men  of  the 

16 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

guard  at  his  back.  "Come  this  way,"  he 
continued,  for  at  first  no  attention  was 
paid  to  his  hail.  "Come  here  and  take 
charge  of  this  man.  It  's  the  order  of  the 
officer-of-the-day. ' ' 

Doubtfully,  reluctantly,  leaving  his  pa 
trol  disgustedly  waiting,  Corporal  Watts 
slowly  descended  the  incline,  crossed  the 
broad,  hard-beaten  road,  then,  obviously 
embarrassed  at  the  presence  of  Dora 
Mayhew,  demanded  further  information 
before  he  obeyed. 

By  this  time,  Eawdon,  pale  and  silent, 
was  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  steps, 
indignation,  resentment,  and  trouble  all 
mingling  in  his  face.  Too  well  he  and 
other  young  soldiers  had  learned  to  know 
the  weight  of  Sergeant  Fitzroy's  spite. 
But  the  trouble  in  his  eyes  gave  way  to 
sudden  relief.  Two  officers  were  coming 
swiftly  round  the  corner  of  the  corral, 
Lanier  foremost. 

"I  say  again,  Corporal  Watts,  this  man 
is  to  be  taken  in  charge  at  once.  It  is 

2  17 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Captain  Curbit's  order  as  officer-of-the- 
day.  I  came  direct  from  him,"  was 
Fitzroy 's  final  order.  But  it  failed. 

"Do  nothing  of  the  kind,  Corporal 
Watts, "  said  a  quiet  voice,  at  sound  of 
which  Sergeant  Fitzroy  whirled  about 
and  turned,  if  a  possible  thing,  a  full 
shade  redder.  There  at  the  gate  stood 
Lieutenant  Lanier.  There,  a  dozen  yards 
away,  but  trudging  fast  as  dignity  would 
permit,  came  the  officer-of-the-day. 

A  jerk  of  the  head  to  the  corporal,  in 
response  to  his  instant  salute,  and  that 
young  soldier,  much  relieved,  strode  away 
to  join  his  men.  Then  Captain  Curbit 
turned  on  Sergeant  Fitzroy. 

"You  told  me  nothing  of  the  facts  in 
this  case,  sir.  Lieutenant  Lanier  says  he 
directed  this  man  to  wait  here,  with  the 
colonel's  message,  while  he  rode  to 
stables.  Pardon  me,  Miss  Dora.  Come 
this  way,  sergeant. " 

And  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to 
obey.  Abashed,  humiliated,  rebuked  and 

18 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

in  her  presence,  where  he  had  looked  but 
a  moment  before  to  humble  and  humiliate 
his  rival,  Fitzroy,  could  only  lift  his  hand 
in  salute,  follow  the  captain  out  of  ear 
shot,  and  there  make  his  plea  as  best  he 
could,  leaving  Lanier  and  the  silent  young 
trooper,  Dora  and  her  grave-faced  old 
father,  in  possession  of  the  field. 

For  a  moment  they  watched  Fitzroy, 
eagerly  gesticulating  as  he  stood  at  atten 
tion  before  his  superior. 

"He  '11  give  you  no  more  trouble,  I 
fancy,"  said  Lanier,  in  low  tone,  to  the 
veterinarian.  "  I  '11  say  good-night  again, 
Miss  Dora;"  and  he  walked  cheerily 
away,  but  Mayhew  looked  after  him  long 
and  anxiously,  then  upon  the  young 
people  before  him,  then  upon  the  still  pro 
testing  sergeant  across  the  way. 

"Maybe  not — maybe  not,"  he  mut 
tered,  with  sorrowing  shake  of  the  head ; 
"but  few  men  can  give  more  trouble  than 
— him,  when  he  's  minded,  and  I  reckon 
he  's  minded  now." 

19 


II 


NEAELY  six  long  months  went  the  regi 
ment  afield  on  the  hardest  campaign  of 
its  history.  Then  at  last  by  way  of  re 
ward  it  had  been  ordered  in  to  big  Fort 
Gushing  for  the  winter.  It  was  close  to 
town,  close  to  the  railway — things  that  in 
those  days,  thirty  years  ago,  seemed 
almost  heavenly.  The  new  station  was 
blithe  and  merry  with  Christmas  prepara 
tions  and  pretty  girls.  All  the  married 
officers'  families  had  rejoined.  Half  a 
dozen  fair  visitors  had  come  from  the 
distant  East.  The  band  was  good;  the 
dancing  men  were  many;  the  dancing 
floor  was  fine,  and  the  dance  they  were 
having  on  Friday  night,  December  16,  was 
all  that  even  an  army  dance  could  be  until 
just  after  eleven  o  'clock.  Then  something 
happened  to  cast  a  spell  over  everybody. 
20 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Bob  Lanier  was  officer-of-the-guard. 
Bob  had  asked  the  colonel  to  let  him  turn 
over  his  sword  to  a  brother  officer,  who, 
being  in  mourning,  could  not  dance,  and 
the  colonel  had  curtly  said  no.  The 
colonel's  wife  was  amazed;  she  did  not 
dream  he  could  do  such  a  thing.  Six  girls 
were  sorrowful,  three  were  incensed,  and 
one  was  cruelly  hurt.  She  was  under 
parental  orders  to  start  for  home  on  the 
morrow.  It  was  to  be  her  last  dance  at 
the  fort.  She  liked  Bob  Lanier  infinitely 
more  than  she  liked  her  father's  dictum 
that  she  must  like  him  not  at  all.  As  for 
Bob  Lanier,  the  garrison  knew  he  loved 
her  devotedly  even  before  she  knew  it 
herself. 

Of  course  she  came  to  the  dance.  As 
the  guest  of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Sumter  she 
even  had  to  go  up  and  smile  on  the  colonel 
and  his  wife,  who  were  receiving.  She 
and  Kate  Sumter  had  been  classmates — 
roommates — at  Vassar,  and  Kate,  born 
and  reared  in  the  army,  had  never  been 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

quite  content  until  her  friend  could  come 
to  visit  the  regiment — her  father's  home. 

A  winsome  pair  they  were,  these  two 
" sweet  girl  graduates"  of  the  June  gone 
by,  while  the  regiment  was  stirring  up 
the  Sioux  on  the  way  to  the  Big  Horn 
and  Yellowstone.  Everybody  had  lavish 
welcome  for  them,  and  to  Miriam  Arnold 
the  month  at  Fort  Gushing  had  been  quite 
a  dream  of  delight,  until  there  came  a 
strange  and  sudden  missive  from  her 
father,  bidding  her  break  off  a  visit  that 
was  to  have  lasted  until  February,  and  all 
relations  with  Lieutenant'  Eobert  Bay 
Lanier. 

Up  to  this  moment  these  relations  had 
been  delightful,  yet  indefinite.  For 
reasons  of  his  own  Mr.  Lanier  had  made 
no  avowal  of  his  love  to  her,  even  though 
he  had  disclosed  it  to  every  one  else.  He 
was  a  frank,  fearless,  out-and-out  young 
soldier,  a  prime  favorite  with  most  of  his 
fellows.  Bob  had  his  enemies — frank  men 
generally  have.  He  could  hardly  believe 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  evidence  of  his  ears  when,  just  after 
sunset  roll-call,  he  had  confidently  ap 
proached  the  colonel  with  his  request  and 
had  received  the  colonel's  curt  reply. 
Time  and  again  during  the  recent  cam 
paign  the  veteran  soldier  now  in  com 
mand  had  shown  marked  liking  for  this 
energetic  young  officer.  Then  came  the 
march  to  the  settlements,  and  sudden, 
unaccountable  change.  Twice  or  thrice 
within  the  past  ten  days  he  had  shown 
singular  coldness  and  disfavor;  to-night 
strong  and  sudden  dislike,  and  Lanier, 
amazed  and  stung,  could  only  salute  and 
turn  away. 

Everybody  by  half  past  ten  had  heard 
of  it,  and  most  men  marvelled.  Nobody 
at  eleven  o  'clock  was  very  much  surprised 
when,  in  the  midst  of  the  lovely  Lorelei 
waltz  of  Keler  Bela,  a  group  of  young 
maids,  matrons,  and  officers  near  the 
doorway  opened  out,  as  it  were,  and  Bob 
Lanier,  officer- of -the-guard,  came  grace 
fully  gliding  and  circling  down  the  room, 

23 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Miriam  Arnold's  radiant,  happy  face 
looking  up  into  his.  It  was  a  joy  to  watch 
them  dance  together,  but  not  to  watch  the 
colonel's  face  when  he  caught  sight  of 
them.  Except  Lanier,  every  officer  pres 
ent  was  in  full  uniform,  without  his  sabre. 
Lanier  was  in  the  undress  uniform  of  the 
guard,  but  with  the  sabre— not  the  long, 
curved,  clumsy,  steel-scabbarded  weapon 
then  used  by  the  cavalry,  but  a  light, 
Prussian  hussar  sword  that  he  had  evi 
dently  borrowed  for  the  occasion,  for  it 
belonged  to  Barker,  the  adjutant,  as 
everybody  knew— as  Barker  realized  to 
his  cost  when  in  less  than  ten  seconds  the 
commander  summoned  him. 

"Mr.  Barker,  you  will  at  once  place 
Mr.  Lanier  in  arrest  for  quitting  his 
guard  and  disobeying  my  orders. " 

"I  shall  have  to— get  my  sabre,  sir," 
stammered  the  adjutant,  meaning  the 
regulation  item  over  at  his  quarters. 

* '  There  it  is,  sir,  before  your  eyes.  Mr. 
Lanier,  at  least,  can  have  no  further  use 

24 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

for  it  until  a  court-martial  acts  on  his 
case.- ' 

"Good  Lord!"  thought  Barker,  "how 
can  I  go  up  to  Bob  and  tell  him  to  turn 
over  that  sword  so  that  I  can  properly 
place  him  in  arrest — and  here,  too — and 
of  all  times " 

But  the  colonel  would  brook  no  delay. 
"Direct  Mr.  Lanier  to  report  to  me  in  the 
anteroom, "  said  he,  marching  thither 
forthwith,  and  that  message  the  luckless 
adjutant  had  to  deliver  at  once. 

Bob  saw  it  coming  in  Barker 's  sombre 
visage.  The  girl  on  his  arm  understood 
nothing  (but  noted  the  hush  that  had 
fallen,  even  though  the  music  went  on ;  saw 
Barker  coming,  and  something  told  her 
it  meant  trouble,  and  turned  her  sweet 
face  white. 

"Miss  Arnold,  may  I  offer  myself  as  a 
substitute  for  the  rest  of  this  dance? 
Bob,  the  chief  wants  to  see  you  a  second, ' ' 
was  the  best  that  Barker  could  think  of. 
They  praised  him  later  for  his  "men- 

25 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

dacity,"  yet  what  he  said  was  true  to  the 
letter.  It  took  little  more  than  a  second 
for  the  colonel  to  say: 

"Mr.  Lanier,  go  to  your  room  in 
arrest, "  and  Bob  saluted,  turned,  and 
went,  unslinging  the  sword  on  the  way. 

Now,  that  was  the  first  touch  to  spoil 
that  memorable  December  night,  but  it 
was  only  a  feather  to  what  followed.  The 
waltz  soon  ceased,  but  the  colonel 
called  for  an  extra,  and  led  out  a  lady 
from  town,  the  wife  of  a  future  senator. 
"Keep  this  thing  going,"  he  cautioned 
his  adjutant  and  certain  of  his  personal 
following,  which  was  large,  and  loyally 
they  tried,  but  the  piteous  face  of  the  girl 
he  had  left  at  the  door  of  the  ladies' 
dressing-room  and  in  the  hands  of  Mrs. 
Sumter  was  too  much  for  Barker.  More 
over,  he  much  liked  Lanier  and  bemoaned 
his  fate. 

Colonel  Button  was  "hopping  mad," 
as  the  quartermaster  put  it,  and  as  all 
men  could  see,  yet  at  what?  Lanier 's 

26 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

offence,  when  fairly  measured,  had  not 
been  so  grave.  It  had  happened  half  a 
dozen  times  that  the  officer-of-the-guard, 
making  his  rounds  and  visiting  sentries  in 
the  course  of  a  dance  evening,  would 
casually  drop  in  by  one  door  and  out  by 
another,  taking  a  turn  or  two  on  the 
floor,  perhaps — "just  waltzing  in  and 
waltzing  out,"  as  they  said — and  no  one 
the  worse  for  it,  even  when  the  colonel 
happened  to  be  present.  Nor  could  men 
now  see  what  it  was  that  so  angered  the 
commander  against  Lanier. 

"Disobeyed  his  orders  flatly, "  sug 
gested  Captain  Snaffle,  who  stood  by  the 
colonel  on  every  occasion  when  not  him 
self  the  object  of  that  officer's  satire  or 
censure. 

' '  Disobeyed  no  order, ' '  said  Sumter,  as 
stoutly.  ' i  Simply  did  what  many  another 
has  done,  and  nobody  hurt.  Nor  would 
Lanier  have  been  noted,  perhaps,  if  he  had 
not  first  asked  to  turn  over  his  sword  to 
Trotter." 

27 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

But  even  that  could  not  fully  account 
for  the  colonel's  rancor,  and,  though  the 
music  and  dance  went  on,  men  and  women 
both,  with  clouded  faces,  found  themselves 
asking  the  question:  "What  could  have 
angered  him  so  at  Lanier?"  And  in  a 
corner  of  the  ladies'  dressing-room  two 
pretty  girls,  with  difficulty  soothed  by 
Mrs.  Sumter,  were  vainly  striving  not  to 
cry  their  eyes  out — Kate  Sumter  dis 
mayed  at  the  almost  uncontrollable  grief 
of  her  friend,  who,  strange  to  military 
measures,  imagined  that  Bob's  arrest  was 
but  the  prelude  to  his  being  shot  at  sun 
rise,  or  something  well  nigh  as  terrible. 

Not  ten  minutes  after  Lanier  went  out, 
and  went  silent  but  in  unspeakable  wrath, 
Paymaster  Scott  came  dawdling  in,  and 
though  but  a  casual  visitor  at  the  post, 
just  back  that  day  from  a  tour  of  the 
northward  camps  and  forts  along  the 
Indian  border,  he  saw  at  a  glance  that 
something  had  gone  amiss.  The  colonel 
was  laboriously  waltzing;  three  or  four 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

couples  were  mechanically  following  suit, 
but  most  of  the  men  were  gathered  about 
the  buffet,  and  most  of  the  women  hud 
dled  at  the  dressing-room  door,  and  Scott, 
marching  over  to  pay  his  respects  to  the 
colonel's  wife,  and  explain  his  coming  at 
so  late  an  hour,  noted  instantly  the  trouble 
in  her  serious  face.  He  had  known  her 
long  and  liked  her  well,  as,  despite  occa 
sional  differences  at  whist,  he  did  her 
husband.  Captain  Snaffle  was  speaking 
with  her  at  the  moment.  Mrs.  Snaffle  was 
at  her  side.  "Why  did  they  tell  her  at 
all!"  Mrs.  Snaffle  was  asking,  with  much 
spirit  and  obvious  effort  to  control  a 
racial  tendency  to  double  the  final  mono 
syllables.  "Sure  they  might  have  known 
't  would  sc — frighten  the  life  out  of  her." 
"Sc— frighten  whof"  asked  Scott,  who 
was  friends  with  everybody  and,  for  more 
reasons  than  his  office,  a  welcome  guest 
wherever  he  went.  Snaffle  shot  a  warning 
glance  at  his  wife,  which  fell,  as  he  said, 
"unaided." 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"It  's  Bobby  Lanier,  meejor,  only  you 
mustn't  sp — refer — to  it."  Mrs.  Snaffle, 
when  self-controlled,  discreetly  shunned 
such  vowels  as  betrayed  her  origin,  a  to 
tally  useless  precaution,  since  all  men 
knew  it  and  liked  her  none  the  less. 

"Lanier!  Oh,  yes,  I  thought  it  was 
Bob  I  saw  a  while  ago  streaking  it  across 
the  parade.  It  's  bright  as  day  in  the 
moonlight  with  the  snow.  What  's  Bob 
got  to  do  with  frightening  folk?"  And 
now  he  was  shaking  hands  with  all  three. 

"Something  very  unfortunate  has  hap 
pened,  major,"  said  Mrs.  Button.  "Mr. 
Lanier  was  officer-of-the-guard  and  asked 
to  attend  the  dance,  Mr.  Trotter  offering 
to  take  charge  of  the  guard.  Colonel 
Button  felt  compelled  to  decline,  and — he 
came  any  way.  You  know,  of  course,  that 
could  n  't  be  overlooked. ' ' 

"  H'm,"  said  Scott  gravely  and  re 
flectively.  "And  who  is  so  frightened?" 

"Miriam  Arnold;  a  very  charming  girl 
who  is  visiting  the  Sumters.  Indeed,  it 

30 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

looks  as  though  she  cared  for  him.  It 's 
no  secret  that  he  's  in  love  with  her." 

"Ah,  yes.  Well,  then,  it  was  she  I  saw 
getting  into  the  Fosters'  sleigh  at  the  side 
door." 

"Oh,  I  think  not!  I  hope  not!  "  cried 
Mrs.  Button,  a  flush  mounting  to  her  face. 
"I  wanted  to  say  a  reassuring  word  after 
a  little » 

But  at  the  moment  Mrs.  Sumter  was 
seen  coming  forth  from  the  dressing- 
room.  Half  a  dozen  women  were  upon 
her  at  once  with  sympathetic  inquiries. 
To  these  she  spoke  briefly,  yet  cour 
teously,  and,  escaping  on  the  arm  of  the 
regimental  quartermaster,  came  straight 
way  to  Mrs.  Button. 

"You  will  forgive  my  girls  for  not  say 
ing  good-night,"  she  cordially  spoke. 
"Miriam  has  been  quite  upset  by  a  letter 
from  home;  and  this  little — episode — 
this  evening,  which  she  cannot  understand 
as  we  do,  has  so  unstrung  her  that  Mrs. 
Foster  offered  to  send  them  over  home 

31 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

in  her  sleigh.  The  side  door  had  been 
barred,  but  Mr.  Horton  pried  it  open  for 
them,  so  they  had  no  need  to  come  this 
way,  and  face  everybody — and  explain. " 

"You  know  how  sorry  I  am,"  said 
Mrs.  Button.  "Of  course  they  are  excus 
able  for  leaving  as  they  did.  Why,  where 
are  the  others  going  ?" 

The  music  had  suddenly  stopped. 
There  was  a  scurry  on  the  part  of  the  men 
at  the  anteroom.  Several  had  run  to  the 
entrance.  Others  were  following.  Some 
one  among  the  women,  with  startled  eyes 
and  paling  face,  sprang  up  saying,  "It  's 
fire"— always  a  dread  at  wind-swept 
Gushing.  Almost  at  the  same  instant  the 
colonel  and  Scott  reached  the  veranda 
without.  A  dozen  officers  were  there, 
intent  and  listening.  "  I  tell  you  I  heard 
it  plainly,"  said  one  of  their  number, 
"and  the  Foster  sleigh  isn't  back." 

"Heard  what,  sir?"  demanded  the 
colonel.  "What  's  the  trouble?" 

"A  cry  for  help — or  something,  over 

32 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

yonder.  Barker  and  Blake  are  gone. 
There  was  a  stir  at  the  guard-house,  too." 

And  as  though  to  confirm  this  much,  at 
least,  there  presently  appeared  round  the 
corner  of  the  building  the  sergeant  of  the 
guard,  in  his  fur  cap  and  overcoat,  and 
with  him  a  burly  soldier,  bleeding  at  the 
nose  and  bristling  with  wrath.  One  hand 
covered  a  damaged  eye;  with  the  other 
he  saluted  Captain  Snaffle,  who  had  edged 
to  the  front  of  the  group. 

1 1  Sir,  I  have  to  report  Trooper  Eawdon 
assaulting  a  non-commissioned  officer." 

For  an  instant  there  was  silence.  Then 
Major  Scott  gave  tongue. 

"Trooper  Bawdon!  "  cried  he,  "why 
he  's  been  with  me  nearly  a  month,  and 
now  has  a  month's  furlough  from  General 
Crook.  He  's  the  best  man  of  the  escort." 

"Befused  to  obey  my  orders  to  go  to 
his  quarters,  sir,  and  assaulted  me  when 
I  tried  to  enforce  'em.  Sergeant  Blunt 
says  he  won't  confine  him  unless  Captain 
Snaffle  orders  it." 

3  33 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

One  moment,  sergeant,"  interposed 
Colonel  Button.  ' l  Has  any  disturbance — 
any  cry  for  help — been  heard  at  the 
guard-house, — or  was  this  the  explana 
tion?"  And  he  looked  with  disfavor  on 
the  battered  complainant. 

"Number  Five,  sir,  hasn't  called  off 
half  past  'leven.  I  Ve  sent  the  corporal 
to  see  what  's  the  matter." 

"Number  Five!"  cried  two  or  three 
men  at  the  instant,  and  without  a  word 
Captain  Sumter  hurried  away,  on  a  bee 
line  across  the  snow-covered  parade,  fol 
lowing  the  tracks  of  the  adjutant. 

"Number  Five!"  repeated  the  colonel. 
"That 's  just  back  of  Sumter 's  quar 
ters  ; ' '  and  he  stepped  out  into  the  moon 
light  for  clearer  view. 

Afar  over  across  the  glistening  level  a 
few  lights  glimmered  faintly  in  the  row 
of  officers'  quarters,  bounding  the  north 
ward  side  of  the  garrison,  but  neither 
along  their  front  nor  that  of  the  westward 
row  was  there  sign  of  moving  humanity. 

34 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

The  moon  at  its  full,  in  that  rare,  clear 
atmosphere,  illuminated  the  post,  the 
frozen  slopes  beyond,  and  the  dazzling 
range  of  the  Eockies,  with  a  radiance  that 
rendered  objects  visible  almost  as  at  mid 
day.  Only  the  hurrying  form  of  Captain 
Sumter  could  be  seen  half  way  across  the 
parade.  The  Fosters'  sleigh,  that  by  this 
time  should  have  been  back  at  the  assem 
bly  room,  was  nowhere  in  sight.  Sumter 's 
quarters  were  about  the  middle  of  the 
row.  Lanier's  were  at  the  eastward  end. 
For  the  moment  the  complaint  of  the  ag 
grieved  sergeant  was  ignored.  All  men 
stood  waiting,  watching.  Then,  on  a 
sudden,  two  or  three  black  forms  darted 
from  the  shadow  of  the  middle  quarters. 
One  came  running  out  across  the  parade, 
hardly  slackened  speed  at  the  hail  of  Cap 
tain  Sumter,  pointed  back  with  one  hand, 
shouted  something  that  doubled  Sumter 's 
pace,  but  hurried  onward  toward  the 
group. 
It  was  Conroy,  corporal-of-the-guard. 

35 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

' t  The  adjutant  orders  me  to  report  Num 
ber  Five  sick,  sir,"  lie  panted  to  the 
colonel.  "I  found  him  all  doubled  up  in 
the  coal-shed  back  of  the  major's. 
'T  was  n't  him  hollered.  'Twas  some 
body  at  Captain  Sumter's.  They  got  the 
steward  over  from  the  hospital,  but  they 
want  the  sergeant  and  some  of  the  guard 
to  search  the  back  buildings." 

"Who  wants  them?"  demanded  the 
colonel. 

* i  The  adjutant,  sir.  Lieutenant  Blake  's 
with  him.  There  has  been  some  prowlers 
— and  the  young  ladies  were  frightened." 

"They  are  safely  home?"  asked  the 
colonel.  "Then  where  's  the  sleigh?" 

"They  're  home  all  right,  sir,  and  the 
sleigh  went  on  out  of  the  east  gate — to 
the  store,  I  suppose.  Number  Six  didn't 
stop  it " 

"One  moment,"  interposed  the  colonel. 
' '  Sergeant-of-the-guard,  take  four  of  your 
men  and  report  to  Captain  Sumter;  or  to 


36 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  adjutant.  Now,  corporal,  when  was 
this  cry  heard?" 

"  Just  after  the  young  ladies  got  home, 
sir — leastwise  that  's  what  I  was  told. 
We  didn't  hear  it  at  the  guard-house." 

"Was  the  officer-of-the-guard  over 
there?" 

'  '  Not  the — new  one,  sir,  but ' '  And 

then  the  corporal  suddenly  stopped,  con 
trite  and  troubled. 

"But  what!"  demanded  the  colonel, 
instant  suspicion  in  his  eyes  and  tone. 
"Do  you  mean  that  Lieutenant  Lanier 
was  there — out  of  his  quarters  ? ' ' 

"Out  of  his  head,  if  he  was,"  growled 
the  paymaster,  who  loved  him  well  and 
was  deeply  concerned  over  his  trouble. 

"I— I  didn't  see  him,  sir,"  answered 
the  young  soldier,  but  in  manner  so  con 
fused  that  it  simply  added  to  the  com 
mander's  suspicion. 

"Come  with  me,  Horton,"  said  the 
colonel  to  his  quartermaster,  and  turning 


37 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

back  for  his  cap  and  overcoat.  Then  once 
again  the  voice  of  the  aggrieved  and 
importunate  sergeant  was  heard,  this  time 
with  convincing  appeal. 

"I  beg  the  colonel's  pardon,  but  if  he 
wants  to  get  the  truth  as  to  this  night's 
business,  it  would  be  well  to  t arrest 
Trooper  Eawdon,  or  he  '11  be  off  for  good 
and  all." 

'  '  Find  him,  then,  sergeant-of -the-guard, 
and  have  it  done, ' '  said  Button.  '  <  Eeport 
it  to  the  officer-of-the-day  as  my  order." 


Ill 


THAT  ended  the  dance,  but  not  the  ex- 
citment.  Women  and  girls  were  seeking 
their  wraps  even  before  the  corporal 
came,  and  now  went  twittering  homeward, 
each  on  the  arm  of  her  escort,  except  in 
the  case  of  those  allied  forces,  the  wives 
of  certain  seniors,  who  long  had  lived, 
moved,  and  ruled  in  the  regiment,  and 
now  in  eager  yet  guarded  tones  were  dis 
cussing  the  events  of  the  hour  gone 
by.  With  these  went  Mrs.  Foster,  her 
husband  having  joined  the  searching 
party,  and  her  sleigh,  instead  of  re 
turning,  being  still  missing  and  un 
accounted  for. 

Not  yet  midnight,  and  in  the  space  of 
less  than  one  hour  all  Fort  Gushing  had 
been  stirred  by  the  news.  A  most  popu 
lar  and  prominent  young  officer  had  been 

39 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

placed  in  close  arrest.  A  prominent,  if 
not  most  popular,  sergeant,  had  been 
pummelled.  An  alarming  scene  of  some 
kind  had  occurred  at  the  quarters  of  Cap 
tain  Sumter.  No  one  outside  of  the  imme 
diate  family  knew  just  what  had  hap 
pened,  and  those  inside  cared  not  to  tell. 
Mrs.  Sumter  had  hurried  away  the  minute 
she  learned  that  her  husband  had  gone. 
The  colonel,  sternly  silent,  led  his  wife  to 
their  door,  and  there  left  her,  saying  he 
had  summoned  certain  officers  to  join  him 
at  once,  and  she,  who  ruled  him  in  all 
matters  domestic  almost  as  she  managed 
the  children,  knew  well  that  when  roused 
he  would  brook  no  interference  in  matters 
professional,  and  Bob  Lanier,  a  prime 
favorite  of  hers,  had  in  some  way  man 
aged  to  fall  under  the  ban  of  his  extreme 
displeasure. 

At  the  office  were  presently  assembled 
the  colonel,  the  adjutant,  the  quartermas 
ter,  the  post  surgeon,  and  to  them  came 
Paymaster  Scott.  At  the  " store,"  the 

40 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

only  club-room  they  had  in  those  days, 
were  gathered  half  the  commissioned 
officers  of  tne  post.  At  Sumter 's  there 
kept  coming  and  going  by  twos  and 
threes,  from  all  along  the  officers'  line,  a 
succession  of  sympathetic  callers,  who 
left  even  more  mystified  than  when  they 
arrived.  Mrs.  Sumter  was  aloft  with 
Kate  and  their  guest,  and,  as  the  captain 
civilly  but  positively  told  all  visitors, 
"had  to  be  excused.  One  of  the  girls 
was  ' '  somewhat  hysterical. ' '  Miriam  had 
had  a  fright  in  the  dark  on  their  return 
home  and  screamed.  Something  foolish, 
probably,  but  none  the  less  effective.  No ! 
Sumter  thought  Mrs.  Sumter  would  need 
no  help,  yet  he  was  so  much  obliged  to 
the  several  who  suggested  going  up  just 
to  see  if  they  couldn't  "do  something." 
Captain  Sumter  was  a  devoted  husband 
and  father,  a  capital  officer,  and  a  gentle 
man  to  the  core,  but  the  captain  could  be 
just  a  trifle  distant  at  times,  and  this  was 
one  of  them. 

41 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Another  house  was  virtually  closed  to 
question.  To  the  disappointment  of  many 
and  the  disapprobation  of  a  few,  Bob 
Lanier  had  closeted  himself  with  his  class 
mate  and  most  intimate  friend  "Dad" 
Ennis;  then,  after  a  brief  colloquy  with 
Barker,  the  adjutant,  had  caused  a  big 
card  to  be  tacked  on  his  door  whereon 
was  crayoned  in  bold  black  letters 
"BUSY."  But  at  quarter  past  twelve 
the  assistant  surgeon,  Doctor  Schuchardt, 
called,  as  was  known,  for  the  second  time, 
and  entered  without  ceremony.  When  the 
officer-of-the-day  came  tramping  along 
the  boardwalk  at  12.30,  and  turned  in  at 
the  gate,  he  struck  the  panel  with  the  hilt 
of  his  sabre,  by  way  of  hint  that  his  call 
was  official  and  not  to  be  denied.  Ennis, 
therefore,  came  to  the  door,  but  came  with 
gloomy  brow. 

"I  am  ordered  by  Colonel  Button  to  ask 
certain  questions  of  Lieutenant  Lanier," 
said  the  official  from  the  depths  of  his  fur 
cap. 

42 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"How  's  that,  Doc?"  called  Ennis,  over 
his  massive  shoulder.  "Can  your  patient 
see  the  officer-of-the-day?" 

"Not  yet,  with  my  consent,"  came  the 
stout  answer. 

"Shout  your  questions,  captain,"  sang 
out  the  patient,  with  much  too  little  humil 
ity  of  manner,  yet  Lanier  knew  Curbit 
well  and  knew  his  mission  to  be  unwel 
come. 

Therefore,  in  Captain  Curbit 's  most 
official  tones,  ab  imo  pectore,  came  ques 
tion  the  first: 

"Is  Trooper  Eawdon  in  hiding  any 
where  about  your  quarters?" 

To  which,  truculently,  came  response 
in  Lanier 's  unmistakable  voice: 

"He  is  not,  if  I  know  it." 

"Do  you  know  or  suspect  where  he  is?" 

"Neither.  And  there  is  no  reason  why 
I  should." 

"Have  you  seen  him — to-night?" 

An  instant's  pause;  then,  "I  don't 
know  whether  I  have  or  not." 

43 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"You  don't  knowf"  exclaimed  Curbit, 
puzzled  and  beginning  to  bristle. 

"I  don't  know/'  repeated  Lanier,  posi 
tive  and  beginning  to  rejoice. 

"Suppose  the  colonel  tells  me  to  ex 
plain  that,"  began  Curbit,  but  Doctor 
Schuchardt  set  his  foot  down  summarily. 

"Here,"  said  he,  "this  thing  's  got  to 
stop;"  and  he  came  to  the  door  in  his 
shirt  sleeves,  leaning  half  way  out,  with 
one  hand  behind  him.  "Lanier  's  in  a 
highly  nervous  and  excited  state.  He  has 
had  a  fall — and  I  'm  trying  to  get  him  to 
bed  and  asleep.  He  doesn't  know — 
whom — he  has  seen  since  he  got  home  in 
arrest,  and  you  can  say  so  for  me." 

"All  right  Shoe,"  was  the  philosoph 
ical  answer.  "It's  none  o'  my  funeral, 
and  personally  I  don't  give  a  cuss  if  they 
never  find  him,  but  there  are  just  s-teen 
reasons  why  the  Old  Man  wants  to  see 
that  young  man  Eawdon  forthwith,  and 
as  many  for  believing  he  's  skipped." 

"Then  skip  after  him.    You  can  track 

44 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

anything  but  a  ghost  in  this  new-fallen 
snow." 

Curbit  lowered  his  voice.  "That's 
exactly  the  trouble,  doctor.  Go  to  the 
back  of  the  quarters  and  see  for  yourself. 
His  trail  starts — and  ends — here/' 

In  all  its  history  Port  Gushing  had  never 
known  such  a  day  of  bewilderment  as  that 
which  followed.  Guard  mounting  was 
held  as  usual  at  eight  A.M.,  and  Colonel 
Button,  awaiting  in  his  office  the  coming 
of  the  old  and  the  new  officers-of-the-day, 
directed  his  adjutant  to  drop  his  own 
work  at  their  entrance  and  give  attention 
to  what  took  place.  Half  a  dozen  other 
officers,  with  little  or  no  business  to  trans 
act  at  that  hour,  made  it  their  business  to 
be  present,  drawn  thither  from  sheer 
sympathy,  as  some  declared,  and  down 
right  curiosity,  as  owned  by  others.  The 
office  building  was  large  and  roomy;  the 
coloners  desk  was  close  to  the  door; 
beyond  it  were  tables  spread  with  maps, 

45 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

magazines,  and  papers ;  a  big  stove  stood 
in  the  middle,  and  a  dozen  chairs  were 
scattered  about,  for  it  was  here  the  offi 
cers  met  one  evening  each  week  in  the 
one  "book-schooling"  to  which  they  were 
then  subjected — a  recitation  in  regula 
tions  or  "  Tactics. "  Across  the  hall  was 
a  smaller  office — the  adjutant's — and 
beyond  that  the  room  where  sat  the  ser 
geant-major  and  his  clerks.  The  win 
dows,  snow-battered  and  frost-bitten,  gave 
abundant  light  from  the  skies,  but  none 
on  the  surroundings — the  view  being  lim 
ited  to  scratch-hole  surveys.  There  was 
nothing  to  distract  attention  from  what 
might  be  going  on  within,  and  all  eyes 
were  on  the  two  burly  captains  who  en 
tered  at  8.30,  fur-capped,  fur-gloved,  in 
huge  overcoats  and  arctics.  The  wind 
had  begun,  even  earlier  than  usual,  to 
whine  and  stir  as  it  swept  down  from  the 
bleak  northwest,  and  the  mercury  had 
dropped  some  ten  degrees  since  the  pre 
vious  evening. 

46 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"  Blizzard  coming, "  said  Scott,  as  he 
glanced  at  tlie  sullen  skies,  and  Scott 
knew  the  Eockies  as  he  did  the  Paymas 
ter's  Manual. 

"I  report  as  old  officer-of-the-day,  sir," 
said  Curbit,  with  brief  salute,  tendering 
the  guard  report  book. 

The  colonel  went  straight  to  business, 
as  he  glanced  over  the  list  of  prisoners. 

"No  sign  of  Trooper  Rawdon?" 

"No,  sir.  The  patrol  sent  to  search  in 
town  got  back  at  reveille." 

"His  horse  and  kit  all  right?" 

"All  right,  sir.  Nothing  missing  that 
he  was  supposed  to  have." 

"Police  notified  to  watch  all  trains — 
and  stages!" 

"Yes,  sir,  and  Sergeant  Stowell,  who 
commanded  the  paymaster's  escort,  re 
mains  in  town  with  a  couple  of  men  to 
help." 

There  was  impressive  silence  in  the 
office.  The  colonel  sat  with  troubled 
brow,  looking  grimly  over  the  roster  of 

47 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  guard,  the  written  " remarks"  of  the 
officer-of-the-day,  and  the  hours  of  his 
inspections  of  sentries,  etc.  Barker,  the 
adjutant,  had  dropped  into  a  chair,  a  few 
feet  back  of  the  fur-capped  officers,  and, 
though  listening  as  bidden,  was  gloomily 
contemplating  the  frost-covered  panes  of 
the  nearest  north  window. 

Eight  men  had  gone  with  Sergeant 
Stowell  as  escort  to  the  paymaster  when, 
nearly  four  weeks  earlier,  he  had  set  forth 
on  his  trip.  Then  the  little  iron  safe  was 
full  of  money.  Seven  men  had  come  back 
with  him,  when,  as  the  safe  was  well  nigh 
empty,  the  paymaster  said  he  hardly 
needed  an  escort.  Of  the  eight  who 
started,  four  were  "  casuals "  who  be 
longed  to  companies  stationed  at  Fort 
Frayne,  well  up  in  the  Indian  country, 
and  there  they  remained  when  the  duty 
was  over.  Of  the  seven  who  came  with 
Stowell,  three  belonged  at  Fort  Frayne, 
a  corporal  and  two  men  of  Captain  Ray 
mond's  troop,  and  they  came  fortified 

48 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

with  the  orders  of  their  post  commander, 
a  copy  of  which  was  now  in  Barker's 
hands. 

"What  I  don't  understand,"  said  the 
colonel,  whirling  his  chair  to  the  right 
about  and  addressing  the  paymaster,  "is 
how  or  why  those  men  should  be  down 
here." 

"It  seems  simple,"  answered  Scott, 
placidly,  he  being  entirely  independent  of 
the  post  commander.  "From  Frayne  I 
had  to  go  to  the  cantonments  up  along  the 
Big  Horn,  and  we  doubled  the  size  of  the 
escort  accordingly.  When  we  got  back 
there  these  three  were  permitted  to  come 
all  the  way,  whether  to  buy  Christmas 
things  for  the  Frayne  folk,  or  for  affairs 
of  their  own,  I  didn't  inquire." 

"To  whom  did  you  assign  them  for 
rations  and  quarters?"  demanded  the 
colonel,  of  Barker. 

' '  Captain  Snaffle,  sir—4  C '  Troop. ' ' 

"Are  they  there? — the  others,  at 
least?" 

4  49 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Corporal  Watts  and  Trooper  Ames 
are  there,  sir.  Trooper  Eawdon,  as  you 
know,  is  not.  He  lias  not  been  seen  about 
the  quarters  since  some  time  last  even 
ing.  Moreover,  the  few  personal  belong 
ings  he  had  are  gone. ' ' 

Again  a  pause.  Then  presently:  "You 
arrested  Kelly,  I  see,  the  man  who  was  on 
Number  Five." 

"Yes,  sir.  Both  Doctor  Schuchardt  and 
the  steward  said  his  sickness  was  due  to 
drink.  The  sergeant  and  corporal-of-the- 
guard  are  willing  to  swear  he  was  per 
fectly  sober  when  they  stationed  him. 
The  men  say  he  had  n't  touched  a  drop  of 
liquor  for  a  month.  He  must  have  drunk 
after  he  was  posted  as  sentry,  for  he  vom 
ited  whiskey  at  the  hospital.  I  believe 
he  was  doped." 

"That  he  could  get  whiskey  anywhere 
along  back  of  the  officers'  quarters,"  said 
the  colonel,  reflectively  as  well  as  reflect 
ing,  "is  not  improbable.  That  it  should 
have  been  doped,  judging  from,  the 

50 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

one  or  two  have  misbehaved,  is  not  impos 
sible.  Captain  Snaffle's  cook,  it  seems, 
was  indulging  some  of  her  friends  with  a 
surreptitious  supper,  at  his  expense. 
That,  very  possibly,  is  how  Kelley  came 
to  grief.  The  others  seem  to  have  hidden 
their  tracks  thus  far."  Then,  as  though 
with  sudden  resolution,  he  turned 
abruptly  again. 

"The  usual  orders,  for  the  present, 
captain, "  said  he,  to  the  new  incumbent. 
"And  you  are  relieved,  Captain  Curbit" 
— to  the  old.  "But  I  shall  need  to  see  you 
later,  so  do  not  leave  the  post." 

"The  man  that  leaves  the  post  this 
day,"  said  Major  Scott,  with  a  squint 
through  the  upper  and  unincumbered 
panes  of  the  nearest  window,  "may  need 
a  seven  days'  leave." 

"And  that,  colonel,"  said  a  quiet  voice 
at  the  commander's  elbow,  "is  what  I 
applied  for  earlier.  Pardon  me,  sir,  but 
I  need  to  know  your  decision,  for  I  should 
now  be  going  to  town." 

51 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

It  was  Captain  Sumter  who  spoke,  and 
the  colonel  flushed  promptly  at  sound  of 
his  voice. 

"I  had  intended  sending  for  you,  Sum 
ter,"  said  he,  "but  these  rather  engross 
ing  matters  had  to  be  taken  up  first.  I — 
have  your  application,"  he  continued, 
fumbling  among  the  papers  on  his  desk. 
"It  is  an  awkward  time — and  these  are 
awkward  circumstances.  It  will  leave 
your  troop  without  an  officer." 

"Mr.  Lanier  will  be  here,  colonel." 

"Here — but  in  close  arrest,"  frowned 
the  colonel,  "and  you  haven't  had  a 
first  lieutenant  since  I  have  been  in 
command. ' ' 

"My  misfortune,  sir,  but  hardly  my 
fault,"  answered  Captain  Sumter  tersely 
yet  respectfully.  "General  Sheridan 
selects  his  aides-de-camp  where  he  will, 
and  last  month  you  thought  it  a  compli 
ment  to  the  regiment  and  to  my  troop." 

"You  feel  that — you  ought  to  go?" 
asked  the  colonel,  dropping  the  subject 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

like  a  hot  brick,  and  resuming  the  pre 
vious  question. 

"Our  guest,  Miss  Arnold,  is  in  no  con 
dition  to  travel  alone, "  said  Captain 
Sumter  gravely.  "My  wife  decides  to 
accompany  her,  at  least  to  Chicago,  and 
I  desire  to  go  with  my  wife." 

The  colonel  bit  his  lip,  and  bowed.  "I 
see,"  said  he.  "Miss  Arnold  was  very 
much  shaken  by  what  happened — after 
she  got  home?" 

"Rather  by  what  happened  before  she 
got  home,"  was  the  calm  yet  suggestive 
reply,  and  it  stung  the  commander  to  the 
quick. 

"Captain  Sumter,"  said  he,  flushing 
angrily,  for  no  one  of  his  officers  held  he 
in  higher  esteem,  "your  attitude  is  that 
of  opposition,  if  not  of  rebuke,  to  the  offi 
cial  acts  of  the  post  commander." 

"Then  let  me  disclaim  at  once  the  faint 
est  disrespect,  Colonel  Button,  but — as 
Mr.  Lanier's  troop  commander  and  per 
sonal  friend,  I  beg  leave  to  say  that  so 

53 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

far  as  I  know,  bis  offense  is  one  which  his 
comrades  have  committed  time  and  again, 
without  rebuke." 

"Which  simply  goes  to  show,  sir,"  re 
sponded  the  colonel,  with  glittering  eyes, 
'  i  that  you  do  not  know  the  twentieth  part 
of  his  offense." 

For  a  moment  the  silence  in  the  office 
was  painful.  Men  looked  at  each  other 
without  speaking.  Sumter  stood  before 
his  commander,  turning  paler  with  the 
flitting  seconds.  At  last  he  spoke : 

"If  that  be  true,  Colonel  Button,  of 
course  I  cannot  think  of  going.  I  with 
draw  my  application;"  and,  turning 
slowly,  left  the  office. 

Between  him  and  the  adjutant  flashed 
one  quick  glance.  There  was  something 
to  come  yet.  The  officers-of-the-day  had 
gone — Curbit  to  shed  furs  and  sabre  at 
his  quarters  and  say  "Thank  God!" 
Snaffle,  his  junior  in  rank  but  senior  in 
years,  a  veteran  of  the  old  dragoons,  to 
plod  wearily  back  towards  the  guard- 

54 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

house  for  a  conference  with  Lieutenant 
Crane,  eommander-of-the-guard. 

In  the  office  of  the  sergeant-major  the 
clerks  were  busily  at  work  consolidating 
the  morning  reports  of  the  ten  companies 
— six  of  cavalry,  four  of  infantry — sta 
tioned  at  the  post.  A  note  on  that  of 
Captain  Snaffle  had  already  caught  the 
eye  of  the  sergeant-major,  who  had 
bustled  in  to  impart  the  tidings  to  his 
immediate  superior,  the  adjutant,  and 
was  disappointed  to  find  them  known 
already. 

Instead  of  carrying  three  enlisted  men 
present  as  "casually  at  post,"  the  "re 
turn"  of  Troop  "C"  had  but  two. 
Trooper  Rawdon,  whose  horse,  horse 
equipments,  and  field  kit  were  safely 
stored  in  the  troop-stables  since  noon  the 
previous  day,  was  himself  accounted  for 
nowhere.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  he  had 
not  been  seen,  and  could  not  be  found, 
there  was  nothing  remarkable  about  that. 
With  the  morning  report  book,  however, 

55 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

self  hand  over  hand  along  the  picket 
fence,  and  turning  his  back  to  the  gale 
every  ten  seconds  to  catch  his  breath,  had 
he  succeeded  in  returning  to  his  post. 
Even  stable  duty  was  abandoned,  so  far 
as  grooming  was  concerned,  for  though 
the  men  could  readily  be  blown  from  bar 
racks  to  their  steeds,  no  power  could  fetch 
them  back  for  supper.  Veteran  first  ser 
geants  told  off  a  stout  squad  in  each 
troop,  and  sent  them  with  a  sack-load  of 
rations  to  reinforce  the  stable  sergeant 
and  grooms,  there  to  stay  to  feed,  guard, 
and  water  the  horses.  Unless  the  roofs 
blew  away,  and  all  were  buried  in  drifts, 
there  was  safety,  if  not  comfort,  in  the 
sheltered  flats  below  the  bluffs. 

But  the  telegraph  wires  went  with  the 
first  hour.  The  stage,  of  course,  could  n't 
be  hoped  to  return  from  town,  and,  so 
far  as  getting  news  from  the  surrounding 
universe  was  concerned,  Fort  Gushing 
might  as  well  have  been  in  Nova  Zembla. 
And  the  Sumters,  three,  with  Miriam 

58 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Arnold,  had  set  forth  at  noon,  intending 
to  intercept  the  east-bound  express,  and 
the  colonel's  spirit  was  raging  in  sym 
pathy  with  the  storm,  and  in  spite  of  his 
wife,  for  some  one  had  started  a  tale  that 
Sumter  and  his  household  had  ostenta 
tiously  called  upon  Eobert  Eay  Lanier,  in 
close  arrest,  in  utter  disfavor  and  infer 
ential  disgrace. 

Now,  while  an  officer  in  arrest  may  not 
quit  his  quarters  under  seven  days,  and 
may  not  even  thereafter  visit  his  com 
manding  officer  unless  ordered,  or  his 
brother  officers  unless  authorized  by  that 
magnate,  there  is  no  regulation  prohibit 
ing  other  officers  or  their  households  visit 
ing  him.  Nevertheless,  they  who  publicly 
do  so  lay  themselves  liable  to  the  imputa 
tion  of  sympathizing  with  the  accused  at 
the  expense  of  the  accuser,  and  some  com 
manding  officers  are  so  sensitive  that  they 
look  upon  such  demonstrations  as  utterly 
subversive  of  discipline,  and  aimed  di 
rectly  at  them. 

59 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

self  hand  over  hand  along  the  picket 
fence,  and  turning  his  back  to  the  gale 
every  ten  seconds  to  catch  his  breath,  had 
he  succeeded  in  returning  to  his  post. 
Even  stable  duty  was  abandoned,  so  far 
as  grooming  was  concerned,  for  though 
the  men  could  readily  be  blown  from  bar 
racks  to  their  steeds,  no  power  could  fetch 
them  back  for  supper.  Veteran  first  ser 
geants  told  off  a  stout  squad  in  each 
troop,  and  sent  them  with  a  sack-load  of 
rations  to  reinforce  the  stable  sergeant 
and  grooms,  there  to  stay  to  feed,  guard, 
and  water  the  horses.  Unless  the  roofs 
blew  away,  and  all  were  buried  in  drifts, 
there  was  safety,  if  not  comfort,  in  the 
sheltered  flats  below  the  bluffs. 

But  the  telegraph  wires  went  with  the 
first  hour.  The  stage,  of  course,  could  n't 
be  hoped  to  return  from  town,  and,  so 
far  as  getting  news  from  the  surrounding 
universe  was  concerned,  Fort  Gushing 
might  as  well  have  been  in  Nova  Zembla. 
And  the  Sumters,  three,  with  Miriam 

58 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Arnold,  had  set  forth  at  noon,  intending 
to  intercept  the  east-bound  express,  and 
the  colonel's  spirit  was  raging  in  sym 
pathy  with  the  storm,  and  in  spite  of  his 
wife,  for  some  one  had  started  a  tale  that 
Sumter  and  his  household  had  ostenta 
tiously  called  upon  Eobert  Eay  Lanier,  in 
close  arrest,  in  utter  disfavor  and  infer 
ential  disgrace. 

Now,  while  an  officer  in  arrest  may  not 
quit  his  quarters  under  seven  days,  and 
may  not  even  thereafter  visit  his  com 
manding  officer  unless  ordered,  or  his 
brother  officers  unless  authorized  by  that 
magnate,  there  is  no  regulation  prohibit 
ing  other  officers  or  their  households  visit 
ing  him.  Nevertheless,  they  who  publicly 
do  so  lay  themselves  liable  to  the  imputa 
tion  of  sympathizing  with  the  accused  at 
the  expense  of  the  accuser,  and  some  com 
manding  officers  are  so  sensitive  that  they 
look  upon  such  demonstrations  as  utterly 
subversive  of  discipline,  and  aimed  di 
rectly  at  them. 

59 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

And  of  such  was  Colonel  Button,  a 
brave  soldier,  a  gentleman  at  heart,  a 
kind,  if  crotchety,  commander,  and  a 
lenient  man  rather  than  a  disciplinarian. 
Much  given,  himself,  to  criticism  of  his 
own  superiors  or  contemporaries,  he 
could  not  abide  it  that  he  should  lack  the 
full  and  enthusiastic  support,  much  less 
be  made  the  object  of  the  criticism,  of  his 
officers  or  men.  A  vain  man,  was  Button, 
and  dearly  he  loved  the  adulation  of  his 
comrades,  high  or  low.  Veteran  Irish  ser 
geants  knew  well  how  to  reach  the  soft 
side  of  "The  Old  Man."  Astute  troop 
commanders,  like  Snaffle,  saved  them 
selves  many  a  deserved  wigging  by  judi 
cious  use  of  blarney.  Sterling,  straight 
forward  men  like  Major  Stannard,  like 
Sumter,  Raymond,  and  Truscott,  of  his 
captains — men  who  could  not  fawn  and 
would  not  flatter — were  never  Button's 
intimates.  He  admired  them;  he  re 
spected  them;  but  down  in  his  heart  he 
did  not  like  them,  because  they  were,  in 
a  word,  independent. 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

And  during  the  long  and  trying  cam 
paign  that  began  early  in  June  and  closed 
only  late  in  November,  Button  had  made 
more  than  one  error  that  set  men  to  say 
ing  things,  and  at  least  one  blunder  that 
had  called  for  rebuke.  It  was  supposed 
at  the  time  that  the  rebuke  would  end  it, 
but,  to  Button's  wrath,  and  indeed  that  of 
most  of  his  friends,  the  story  appeared  in 
exaggerated  form  in  many  an  Eastern 
paper.  What  made  it  worse  was  that,  as 
told  in  Boston,  Philadelphia,  and  other 
far  Eastern  communities,  where  the 
Indian  is  little  known  and  much  consid 
ered,  Button's  interests  were  bound  to 
suffer,  for  he  was  declared  to  have  butch 
ered  defenseless  women  and  children  in 
a  surrendered  village — a  mo  stun  just  accu 
sation  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  certain 
squaws  and  boys  had  died  fighting  with 
their  braves  by  night,  when  bullets  could 
not  well  discriminate.  Button  had  but 
just  got  his  promotion  to  regimental 
command,  and  friends  at  court  were  work 
ing  hard  for  his  further  advancement  to 

61 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  grade  of  brigadier-general — a  fact 
that  hurt  him  in  an  army  so  benighted  as 
then  was  ours,  in  believing  that  general 
ships  should  be  bestowed  only  upon  the 
seniors  and  service-tried  among  the 
colonels.  We  have  broadened  much  since 
then,  and,  as  it  was  once  said  that  every 
French  soldier  carried  the  baton  of  a 
marshal  in  his  knapsack,  so  now  may  the 
silver  star  be  hidden  in  the  pocket  of  the 
lieutenants  of  every  staff  department  as 
well  as  those  of  the  Fighting  Force. 
There  are  none  who  may  not  aspire. 

So  Button  believed  it  of  Sumter  that 
he  and  his,  on  the  way  to  the  railway 
station,  went  in  and  condoled  with  Bob 
Lanier,  and  doubtless  vituperated  him, 
the  commander,  when  in  point  of  fact  no 
one  of  their  number  had  seen,  or  spoken 
with,  Bob.  Sumter  merely  left  a  big 
basket  filled  with  fruit,  and  a  little  note 
with  friendliness,  from  Mrs.  Sumter,  then 
sprang  into  the  curtained  escort  wagon, 
and  was  whisked  away. 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Then  came  the  storm,  and  then  a  Sun 
day  and  Monday  in  which  no  man  went 
either  way  between  the  fort  and  town. 
And  then  a  third,  in  which  the  gale  went 
down,  and  the  garrison  first  dug  itself 
out,  and  then  tunnelled  in  to  the  colonel's, 
the  adjutant's  office,  and  other  submerged 
quarters,  and  on  the  morning  of  that 
third  day  Captain  Sumter,  in  snow-cov 
ered  furs,  reported  his  return  in  person 
to  his  post  commander,  and  explained  that 
he  had  been  storm-bound  at  the  station  in 
the  meantime. 

It  was  then  barely  nine  o  'clock.  Guard 
mounting,  the  first  held  since  Saturday, 
was  just  over.  The  morning  reports,  the 
first  rendered  since  Saturday,  were  just 
in,  and  the  staff  and  company  officers  for 
the  first  time  since  Saturday  were  begin 
ning  to  gather  at  headquarters  and  to 
compare  notes.  All  had  much  to  tell. 
Stannard's  wood-pile,  Snaffle's  storm- 
shed,  and  Barker's  cow  had  blown  away. 
Somebody  had  just  reported  Sumter 's 

63 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

north  dormer  window  "torn  out  by  the 
roots,"  which  moved  Button  to  say: 

"I  hope  your  quarters  sustained  no 
damage  in  your  absence. " 

"I  do  not  know,  sir,  I  came  direct  to  the 
office  to  report." 

"Ah,  true;  your  household  started 
before  the  storm." 

"Only  started,  sir.  They  went  no 
farther  than  the  surgeon's  quarters, 
where  we  learned  the  train  was  six  hours 
late.  I  had — business — in  town,  and  went 
on.  They  remained." 

"Then  the  ladies  have  not  gone  East!" 

"Neither  they  nor  any  one  else,  since 
early  Saturday  morning.  The  road  is 
blocked." 

'  '  The  paymaster,  too  ?  He  went  in  right 
after  luncheon. ' ' 

"I  cannot  say,  sir.  I  neither  saw  nor 
heard  of  him  about  the  station.  It  is 
crowded  with  people.  Three  trains  are 
stalled  there,  unable  to  go  either  way,  and 
now — with  your  permission,  colonel " 

64 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Oh,  certainly,  certainly,  Sumter.  I 
did  n't  wish  to  detain  you.  I  hope  you  '11 
find  the  ladies  well"  Whereat  the  cap 
tain  withdrew,  giving  place  to  the  quarter 
master  who  had  hurried  in,  an  anxious 
look  in  his  eyes.  That  he  should  have 
numerous  losses  and  damages  to  report 
was  to  be  expected ;  that  he  should  appear 
in  the  least  concerned  was  not.  A  faith 
ful  and  loyal  staff  officer  was  Horton,  but 
one  of  the  most  philosophic,  if  not  phleg 
matic,  souls  in  the  service.  It  took  noth 
ing  short  of  a  national  disaster  seriously 
to  disturb  his  equanimity;  therefore  at 
sight  of  his  face  the  colonel  was  almost 
instantly  on  his  feet. 

"Can  I  have  a  sergeant  and  twenty 
men  at  once,  sir,  armed  and  mounted? 
The  ambulance  with  the  paymaster  never 
reached  town." 

"Order  them  out  at  once,  Mr.  Barker," 
was  Button's  instant  answer,  turning  to 
his  adjutant,  who  went  out  like  a  shot. 
"What  time  did  they  start?" 

5  65 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"  About  two  Saturday  afternoon.  It 
was  blowing  a  gale  then  and  the  snow  so 
thick  we  lost  sight  of  them  within  a  hun 
dred  yards.  Major  Scott  declined  an 
escort ;  said  he  and  the  clerk  and  the  two 
men  inside  were  more  than  enough.  He 
had  only  three  thousand  dollars  left  and 
thought  that  too  little  to  tempt  anybody. 
Everybody  knew  he  was  just  back  from  a 
long  pay  trip — not  going — yet  they  have 
disappeared  utterly.  I  had  men  ride  the 
length  of  the  creek  valley  'twixt  here  and 
town,  and  there  isn't  a  sign  of  them/' 

The  silence  in  the  office  was  oppressive. 
Men  looked  at  each  other  in  dumb 
consternation. 

"How  did  you  learn  they  hadn't 
reached  town?"  demanded  Button. 

"Sergeant  Fitzroy  just  came  out.  He  M 
been  in  there  with  Sergeant  Stowell  to 
help  find  Eawdon,  he  said.  Major  Scott 
had  a  section  engaged  in  the  Pullman  for 
Omaha,  and  Fitzroy  says  he  never 
claimed  it — says  he  searched  every  stable 

66 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

for  the  ambulance,  but  there  was  no  sign 
of  it,  and  he  says  there  was  a  gang  of 
half  a  dozen  toughs  that  had  been  hang 
ing  about  town  for  a  week,  and  they  Ve 
cleared  out.  I  'd  like  to  go  and  get  into 
riding  rig,  sir." 

"Go,  and  I  '11  have  a  troop  out  after 
you  if  need  be."  Then  turning  to  his 
adjutant:  "Barker,  have  Sergeant  Fitz- 
roy  sent  for  at  once." 

Another  moment  and  a  trig,  well- 
groomed  soldier,  florid-faced,  muscular, 
yet  burly  in  build,  stepped  briskly  in  and 
"stood  attention."  His  right  eye  and 
cheek  were  still  heavily  bruised  and  dis 
colored.  His  nose  was  somewhat  swollen. 
The  colonel  had  looked  upon  him  with 
sombre  eyes  the  night  of  the  dance.  It 
annoyed  him  that  a  non-commissioned 
officer  should  have  taken  such  a  time  and 
place  to  offer  a  complaint.  He  still  dis 
approved.  Moreover,  he  had  given  Ser 
geant  Fitzroy  no  authority  to  go  as  volun 
teer  aid  to  Sergeant  Stowell. 

67 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"How  did  you  happen  to  be  in  town, 
sergeant  f '  *  was  the  abrupt  demand. 

Fitzroy  colored  to  the  brows,  but  the 
answer  was  prompt : 

"I  understood  the  colonel  to  say  'find 
him,'  referring  to  Trooper  Bawdon, 
Friday  night,  and  I  went  in  Saturday 
morning  thinking  to  help.  Then  we 
could  n't  get  back,  sir." 

"My  order  was  to  the  sergeant-of-the- 
guard,  not  to  you,"  interposed  Button 
curtly.  "Sergeant  Stowell  was  sent  and 
that  was  enough." 

"Sergeant  Stowell  was  looking  for  a 
man  in  uniform,  sir,  and  had  never  seen 
Eawdon  except  in  trooper  dress,  and 
would  never  perhaps  have  known  him." 

* '  Then  how  should  you  1 ' '  was  the  sharp 
query. 

Fitzroy  started.  "I — had  known  him 
longer,  sir,  and  much  better.  I — had  occa 
sion  to  reprimand  him  once  or  twice,  and 
knew  him  and  his — pals,  if  the  colonel  will 
pardon  me — as  none  of  the  others  knew 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

him.  There  was  that  young  civilian, 
Lowndes,  that  went  along  with  us  and  got 
into  trouble,  and — there  were  others.  In 
fact,  if  the  colonel  will  pardon  me  again, 
sir,  I  do  not  hold  a  high  opinion  of 
Trooper  Eawdon,  and  if  the  colonel  were 
to  investigate,  it 's  my  belief  he  could 
trace  many  a  disloyal  trick — and  tale — to 
that  man.  What 's  more,"  and  now  the 
speaker's  tone  betrayed  undue  and  most 
unprofessional  excitement,  and  it  seemed 
as  though  he  had  quite  forgotten  himself 
and  his  official  surroundings,  for  he  fin 
ished  with  voice  querulous  and  upraised, 
"if  Paymaster  Scott  came  to  grief  he  has 
nobody  to  blame  but  his  pet  and  him 
self » 

"No  more  of  that,  sir,"  broke  in  the 
colonel  angrily,  "unless  you  are  ready  to 
prove  your  words." 

"Give  me  two  days  and  half  a  chance, 
Colonel  Button,"  was  the  confident 
answer,  "and  I  '11  do  it." 


V 


As  Captain  Sumter  said,  the  ladies  had 
gone  no  further  than  the  surgeon's  quar 
ters  that  memorable  Saturday,  and  with 
Sumter  ?s  full  consent  they  had  not  gone 
even  that  far.  Friday  afternoon  he  had 
wired  his  protest  to  the  father  of  Miriam 
Arnold,  and  with  startling  emphasis  the 
reply  had  come  early  Saturday  morning : 
"I  repeat  that  I  desire  my  daughter  to 
return  at  once."  It  angered  this  honest 
gentleman  and  soldier.  The  tone  was 
abrupt,  if  telegrams  can  be  said  to  have 
either  tone  or  manner,  but  that  "wire" 
settled  the  matter.  Miriam  said  she  must 
obey,  and  nothing  short  of  Doctor  Larra- 
bee,  senior  surgeon  of  the  post,  had  pre 
vailed  against  her  decision.  He  himself 
had  met  the  covered  vehicle  at  his  gate, 
and  with  calm  but  forceful  courtesy  had 

70 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

insisted  on  their  alighting.  "Your  train 
is  half  a  day  late,"  said  he.  "You  '11  be 
wiser  waiting  here  than  at  the  frowsy 
station.  Besides,  I  wish  to  see  this  young 
woman  again."  So  saying,  he  fairly 
lifted  Miss  Arnold  from  the  fur-robed 
depths  of  the  dark  interior,  and  deposited 
her  on  the  wind-swept  path.  "Bun  in," 
said  he,  then  similarly  aided  Mrs.  and 
Miss  Sumter.  Their  hand  luggage  and 
wraps  came  next,  and  Sumter  drove  away, 
saying  he  'd  be  back  to  them  in  abundant 
time  for  the  train — which  he  was,  though 
not  until  Tuesday  morning.  It  was 
Thursday  before  the  road  was  open  or  the 
telegraph  again  at  work. 

Less  than  half  an  hour  the  trio  spent 
under  the  doctor's  hospitable  roof.  Be 
fore  two  o'clock  the  wind  had  increased  to 
a  gale.  The  snow  was  driving  swift  and 
hard.  * i  I  checked  you  just  in  time, ' '  said 
he.  "There  '11  be  no  train  either  way 
this  night."  And  so  by  two  o'clock,  and 
just  as  the  paymaster  was  driving  away 

71 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

down  the  front  of  officers'  row,  Mrs.  and 
Miss  Sumter,  with  Miss  Arnold,  escorted 
by  the  two  medical  officers,  were  strug 
gling  across  the  open  space  between  the 
surgeon's  houses  and  the  rear  fence  of 
the  long  line,  and  presently  entering  the 
back  gate  at  Sumter's. 

It  was  an  odd  arrangement,  somewhat 
peculiar  to  frontier  stations  of  the  day. 
The  enclosure  of  Fort  Gushing  was  dia 
mond-shaped.  The  entrance  gate  was  at 
the  eastern  apex.  The  hospital  and  sur 
geons'  quarters  stood  on  a  line  with  this 
gate,  their  front  perpendicular  to  the  long 
axis  of  the  diamond.  Their  "rear  eleva 
tions,"  therefore,  were  not  far  from  offi 
cers'  row.  From  the  front  of  Sumter's 
house,  around  by  way  of  the  main  gate  to 
the  doctor's  door — the  first  to  the  left 
(north)  of  the  post  trader s's — was  quite  a 
walk.  From  back  door  to  back  door,  how 
ever,  it  was  less  than  two  hundred  paces. 
"We  are  near  neighbors,"  Doctor  Larra- 
bee  had  been  saying,  "though  my  wife 

72 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

thinks  it  a  long  walk  on  a  windy  day.  I 
could  reach  you  day  or  night,  almost  in  a 
minute.  As  for  Schuchardt  and  Bob  Lan- 
ier,  they  could  talk  to  each  other  out  of 
their  back  windows  this  morning,  but  you 
could  n't  hear  a  bugle  across  there  now." 

"Is  he  sitting  up?"  Mrs.  Sumter  in 
quired.  "I  thought,  from  what  we  heard, 
Doctor  Schuchardt  was  trying  to  keep 
him  in  bed." 

"He  won't  stay,"  was  the  brief  answer. 
"I  doubt  if  he  slept  a  wink  last  night." 

But  Schuchardt  was  even  less  commu 
nicative.  In  answer  to  Mrs.  Sumter 's 
appeal,  that  young  but  gifted  physician 
had  looked  perturbed,  and  finally 
answered:  "Mr.  Lanier's  hurt  is  more 
mental  than  physical,  therefore  the  more 
difficult  for  me  to  reach. ' ' 

"You  Ve  seen  him  this  morning?" 

"Twice,  Mrs.  Sumter,  and  I  'm  going 
again  as  soon  as  we  Ve  seen  you  home." 

And  the  moment  they  reached  the  rear 
storm-door,  and  their  fur-hooded,  fur- 

73 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

mantled  charges  were  safely  within, 
Schuchardt  excused  himself,  Miriam 
Arnold's  eyes  following  with  a  mute  mes 
sage  that  he  felt,  if  he  did  not  hear. 

But  Larrabee  lingered.  Stamping  and 
shaking  off  the  snow,  he  followed  into  the 
warm  and  cozy  army  quarters.  Cook  and 
housemaid  both  looked  astonished  at  the 
unexpected  procession  through  the 
kitchen.  Mrs.  Captain  Snaffle's  "chef" 
— like  her  mistress,  of  Hibernian  extrac 
tion — sprang  up  in  some  confusion  from 
her  chair  and  the  cup  of  "tay"  over 
which  the  three  had  been  chatting,  as  is 
the  way  of  our  domestics  at  such  times 
and  places, — she  had  reason  to  know  the 
mistress  of  the  house  did  not  well  approve 
of  her,  or  of  these  frequent  visitations. 
"We  shall  probably  dine  at  home,"  said 
Mrs.  Sumter,  somewhat  coldly,  to  her  own 
retainers,  and  bestowing  no  notice  upon 
their  visitor.  "There  may  be  no  train  till 
to-morrow;"  and  with  that  led  the  way 
to  the  parlor. 

74 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Almost  immediately,  without  waiting 
for  the  coming  of  the  attendants  with 
their  hand-bags,  Miss  Arnold  fled  up 
stairs,  followed,  at  a  glance  from  her 
mother,  by  Kate. 

"You  see  how  wretchedly  nervous  she 
continues,"  said  Mrs.  Sumter.  "How 
could  we  have  let  her  go  alone?'' 

"How  should  we  let  her  go  at  all ? "  said 
Larrabee.  "  Indeed " — with  a  glance 
from  the  clouding  window  over  the  storm- 
swept  parade — "I  repeat,  there  will  be  no 
going  anywhere  for  anybody  just  now. 
Has — has  she — told  you  anything,  as 
yet!" 

Mrs.  Sumter  was  gradually  emerging 
from  her  winter  coat  of  furs.  For  a 
moment  she  hesitated,  then  closed  the 
door  leading  back  to  the  dining-room  and 
returned  to  him  as  he  stood  there,  warm 
ing  his  hands  at  the  great  parlor  stove 
then  indispensable  in  our  frontier  homes. 
His  fine,  intellectual  face,  in  its  silver- 
gray  fringe  of  crisp  curling  hair,  was 

75 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

full  of  sympathy  and  interest.  It  was  a 
face  to  confide  in,  and  all  Fort  Gushing 
swore  by  its  senior  surgeon.  "Doctor," 
said  she,  calling  him  by  the  title  he  best 
loved,  "Miriam  says  she  believes  it  was 
all  a  mere  delusion — a  dream.  She  blames 
herself  bitterly  and — begs  us  to  think  no 
more  of  it— to  forgive  her,  but—'' 

"But?"  and  the  kind  dark  eyes  studied 
the  gentle,  matronly  face. 

"But— oh,  why  should  I  attempt  to 
conceal  it  I  You  know,  and  we  have 
reason  to  know,  she  did  see  some  one — 
some  one  right  there  in  her  room.  Some 
one  who  went  out  like  a  thief,  through  the 
window,  and  down  the  roof  to  the  shed, 
and  away  in  spite  of  sentries  or — or  any 
body — some  one  who  was  in  there  when 
they  so  unexpectedly  got  home.  You 
saw " 

"Yes,  I  saw  the  tracks  in  the  fresh 
snow  on  the  roof.  I  could  see  them  when 
I  came  hurrying  over,"  murmured  the 
doctor. 

76 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Captain  Sumter  had  the  snow  swept 
off  before  reveille.  What  was  the  use  of 
advertising  it  further?  Mr.  Barker  and 
Mr.  Blake  saw  it,  too.  They  hold  it  was 
some  garrison  sneak-thief,  looking  for 
jewelry.  Yet  not  so  much  as  a  ring,  or  a 
pin,  was  touched — only  her  desk." 

" Did  she  tell  of  that?" 

"No,  Kate  was  the  first  to  see  it.  She 
flew  up- stairs  when  she  heard  the  scream ; 
found  Miriam  a  senseless  heap  on  the 
floor,  the  desk  open  on  the  little  table  by 
the  window,  the  contents  scattered,  the 
window  up,  and  somebody  bounding  and 
slipping  away  in  the  moonlight.  Then 
she  heard  the  challenge  and  scuffle  outside 
and  thought  the  guard  had  him,  and  gave 
her  whole  attention  to  Miriam,  until  Mr. 
Barker  shouted  from  the  lower  hall.  Oh, 
yes,  cook  and  Maggie  both  declare  they 
were  in  their  room,  but — I  believe  they 
were  next  door  at  the  Snaffles '.  I  believe 
the  back  door  was  left  open  for — whoever 
it  was." 

77 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"And  nothing  is  missing!" 

"Nothing.  He  was  frightened  off  evi 
dently.  But  Captain  Sumter  wished  to 
have  it  all  kept  quiet  until  he  could  confer 
with  the  detectives  in  town.  He  has  a 
theory  of  his  own." 

She  had  lowered  her  voice,  and  now 
walked  to  the  hall  door,  as  though  listen 
ing  for  sounds  from  aloft,  whither  Kate 
and  Miriam  had  vanished. 

"Miss  Kate  has  a  level  head,"  pres 
ently  spoke  Larrabee.  "What  does  she 
say?" 

"Doctor,  that  is  what  troubles  me! 
Kate  won't  say — anything.  It  's  the  first 
time  she  ever  kept  a  secret  from  me." 
And  now  tears  of  genuine  distress  were 
welling  in  Mrs.  Sumter 's  eyes. 

It  was  half  after  two,  and  the  wind  was 
shrieking  through  the  open  space  back 
of  the  line,  when  Doctor  Larrabee,  bend 
ing  almost  double,  managed  to  fight  his 
way  homeward.  Schuchardt,  occupant 
of  the  adjoining  set  to  his  own,  had  not 

78 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

yet  returned.  At  Sumter's  gate  the  senior 
surgeon  encountered  the  corporal-of-the- 
guard,  nearly  blind  and  well  nigh  ex 
hausted.  He  had  been  sent  round  to  re 
lieve  the  men  on  post  and  bid  them  make 
the  best  of  their  way  to  the  guard-room. 
He  was  even  then  searching  for  Number 
Five,  who  had  most  justifiably,  in  fact, 
involuntarily,  taken  refuge  as  previously 
explained.  Had  he  not  been  blown  into 
the  Snaffles'  kitchen,  he  might,  like 
Barker's  cow,  have  been  blown  away. 

"You  will  probably  find  Doctor 
Schuchardt  at  Lieutenant  Lanier's  quar 
ters,"  shouted  Larrabee  at  the  corporal, 
with  kindly  intent.  "Take  Number  Five 
in  there  and  get  thawed  out.  Tell  him  I 
think  a  nip  of  whiskey  advisable  under 
the  circumstances." 

And  thus  it  happened  that  two  storm- 
beaten  soldiers  presently  shoved  their 
way  through  Lanier's  back  gate  and 
banged  at  the  kitchen  door.  Nobody 
answering,  they  presently  entered,  passed 

79 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

through  that  deserted  apartment,  and, 
hearing  voices  further  on,  the  corporal 
ventured  into  the  dark  hallway  leading 
through  the  little  frame  house,  now  fairly 
quivering  in  the  blast.  Here  he  caught 
sight  of  two  officers — big,  powerful  men, 
in  fur  caps  and  canvas  overcoats,  just 
pushing  forth  through  the  front  door  into 
the  fierce  blast  without.  One  was  Doctor 
Schuchardt,  the  other  Lieutenant  Ennis, 
joint  occupant  with  Lanier  of  the  tiny 
premises.  As  Corporal  Cassidy  later  ex 
pressed  it,  he  felt  "like  I  'd  lost  a  bulging 
pot  on  an  ace  full."  He  couldn't  run 
after  and  beg  them  to  come  back,  yet  he 
and  his  comrades  were  stiff  from  cold  and 
almost  breathless  from  exhaustion.  Sud 
denly  Number  Five's  carbine  slipped 
from  his  frozen  glove  and  fell  with  a 
crash  on  the  kitchen  floor.  The  next  in 
stant  the  voice  of  Lieutenant  Lanier  was 
heard.  % 

"Who  the  devil's  that?" 

"Corporal  Cassidy,  sir.    The  post  sur- 

80 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

geon  told  me  to  bring  Number  Five  in 
here  and  thaw  him  out.  "We  'd  find  Doc 
tor  Schuchardt.  But  the  doctor  's  just 

gone,  sir,  and " 

But  by  this  time  Mr.  Lanier  himself 
appeared  in  the  hall,  his  feet  in  warm 
woollen  slippers,  his  hands  in  bandages. 
"Well,  I  should  say !  Come  right  in  here, 
you  two.  Pull  off  your  gloves  and  get  out 
of  those  caps  and  things.  Man  alive  " — 
this  to  Number  Five — "why  didn't  you 
come  before  ?  This  is  no  time  to  stand  on 
ceremony — or  stay  on  post,  either.  My 
striker  's  stormbound  somewhere.  I  'd 
help  you  if  I  could,  but  I  can't.  Help 
yourselves  now,  best  you  can;  rub  and 
kick  all  you  want  to ;  dance  if  it  '11  warm 
you.''  And  all  the  time  he  was  crowding 
them  up  about  a  roaring  stove,  where 
presently  he  made  them  sit  while  he 
bustled  about  at  a  buffet  in  the  adjoining 
room.  "You  '11  have  to  help  me,  cor 
poral,"  presently  he  cried.  "One  hand 
can't  mix  and  pour  and  lift.  There  's 

6  81 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

sugar;  there  's  hot  water  on  the  stove; 
there  's  glasses  and  here  's  whiskey.  Mix 
it  hot,  and  down  with  it!  " 

And  so  hospitably  and  heartily,  after 
the  manner  of  old  frontier  days  and  men, 
the  young  officer  administered  to  his 
humbler  comrades ;  cheered,  and  warmed, 
and  insisted  on  their  eating  with  their 
second  tumbler,  and  when  in  course  of 
half  an  hour  the  two  stood  before  him, 
glowing,  grateful,  and  resuming  their 
buffalo  coats  and  fur  caps  and  gloves, 
honest  Cassidy  tried  to  say  his  say: 

"  'D'  Troop's  fellers  never  can  brag 
enough  about  their  lieutenant,  sir,  and 
though  we  don't  belong  to  'D'  Troop,  it 
has  n't  taken  this  to  tell  us  why.  If  ever 
the  time  comes  when  me  or  Quinlan  here 
can  do  the  lieutenant  a  good  turn  he  '11 — 
he '11  know  it." 

After  which  they  were  gone,  rejoicing 
in  their  new-found  strength,  yet  reaching 
the  nearest  barracks  only  after  severe 
struggle,  and,  later  still,  the  crowded, 

82 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

suffocating  guard-room, — where  now 
some  thirty  men  were  huddled  in  a  space 
intended  for  twenty  at  most — where  Cas- 
sidy  and  Number  Five  were  speedily  tell 
ing  to  eager,  appreciative  ears  their  un 
usual  and  rejoiceful  experience. 

"Well,  ain't  he  the  dandy  lieutenant, 
though!"  queried  Casey,  of  "F"  Troop. 
"And  did  he  give  you  yer  new  cap,  too, 
Quinlan?  Sure  the  wan  you  marched  on 
wid  had  the  mange !  " 

Cassidy  snatched  it  from  his  comrade's 
head.  "Mother  av  Moses !  If  he  has  n't 

lifted  the  lieutenant's "  But  he  broke 

off  short.  One  glance  he  had  given  the 
band  within.  A  sudden  cloud  swept  over 
his  face.  There  was  an  instant  of  inde 
cision,  then  he  whipped  his  own  cap  from 
his  head  and  thrust  it  on  Quinlan. 

"I  'm  a  liar,"  said  he;  "it  's  me  own 
he  's  had." 

"  Then  you  wear  two  sizes,  Jim  Cas 
sidy,  an'  both  different."  Quinlan  had 
pulled  the  headpiece  down,  and  was  star- 

83 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

ing  in  at  the  soft  lining.  "  What 's  this?" 
he  began,  when  the  corporal's  fingers 
closed  like  a  vise  on  his  arm. 

"  Shut  up,  Quinlan.  The  whiskey  's 
gone  to  yer  noddle.  Come  here!  "  And 
Cassidy  led  him,  wondering,  to  the  barred 
corridor  without  and  slammed  the  door 
behind  them.  "Not  a  word  do  you  whis 
per  of  this  to  any  man,  Pat  Quinlan," 
said  he,  never  relaxing  his  grasp.  "You 
heard  what  that  Cockney  Fitzroy  was 
swearin'  to  this  morning?  Sure — you  M 
never  say  the  word  to  back  that  whelp — 
an'  harm  the  lieutenant !" 


VI 


"Goo  helps  those  who  help  them 
selves,"  quoth  Lieutenant  Blake,  on  hear 
ing  of  the  incident  at  Lanier 's  quarters, 
"but  God  help  those  who  help  other  fel 
lows,  unless  'the  Old  Man'  likes  it." 
Blake  was  but  a  "casual"  at  Fort  Gush 
ing  at  the  moment,  summoned  thither  as 
a  witness  before  a  general  court-martial 
then  in  session,  but  there  was  nothing 
casual  in  his  friendship  for  Bob  Lanier. 
Two  years'  campaigning  in  Arizona  and 
one  in  Wyoming  had  made  these  sub 
alterns  fast  friends,  despite  the  differ 
ence  of  ten  years  in  their  ages  and  nearly 
twenty  "files"  in  rank,  Blake  being  one 
of  the  senior  and  Lanier  one  of  the  junior 
lieutenants  of  the  regiment.  Blake  was 
no  pet  of  the  post  commander.  Blake  had 
a  way  of  saying  satirical  things  of  seniors 

85 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

whom  he  did  not  fancy,  and  Button  was 
one  of  these.  Blake  should  have  returned 
to  his  proper  station  the  day  after  the 
dance,  but,  like  everybody  else,  so  far  as 
heard  from,  he  had  been  held  by  the 
storm,  and  therefore  happened  to  be  in 
the  club-room  at  the  store  along  toward 
eleven  o'clock  on  Tuesday,  watching  the 
distant  deployment  over  the  southeast 
ward  slopes  of  the  barren  upland.  Fully 
half  the  mounted  force  of  the  garrison 
was  on  search  for  the  paymaster's  "out 
fit,"  and  with  Blake  stood  half  a  dozen 
infantry  officers  and  two  or  three  of  the 
— th.  To  them,  on  his  way  to  rejoin  his 
searching  troop,  had  entered  big  Jim 
Ennis,  Lanier's  chum  and  classmate,  and 
Ennis  looked  the  picture  of  smothered 
wrath.  Half  an  hour  previous  he  had 
been  seen  trotting  up  from  stables  to  the 
adjutant's  office,  summoned  thither  by 
the  orderly  of  the  commanding  officer.  A 
few  minutes  later  that  same  hard-worked 
orderly  had  been  seen  sprinting  to  the 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

surgeon's  quarters,  and  Doctor  Larrabee, 
wrapped  in  furs  and  meditation,  obeyed 
the  summons,  stood  in  the  presence  of  an 
irate  commander  not  more  than  fifty  sec 
onds,  came  forth  wrapped  in  gloom,  and 
took  the  short  cut  back  of  the  major's 
house  to  his  own  bailiwick  at  the  hospital. 

About  the  only  officer  not  to  put  in  an 
appearance  that  morning  out  of  doors, 
afoot,  in  saddle,  or  adrift  in  snow,  was 
Lieutenant  Lanier.  About  the  first  offi 
cer  Button  wished  to  see  was  Bob,  and 
about  the  last  was  Blake.  Yet  such  was 
the  freakishness  of  Fate  that  the  first  man 
to  hail  him,  with  ill-time  jocularity,  was 
Blake,  and  the  last  of  his  officers  whom 
he  was  destined  that  day  to  set  eyes  on 
was  Bob  Lanier,  whom  Schuchardt,  in 
answer  to  the  commander's  summons,  had 
earlier  declared  unfit  to  leave  his 
quarters. 

If  it  had  not  been  for  the  startling 
announcement  about  the  paymaster, 


87 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Colonel  Button  would  have  fought  that 
matter  out  with  the  doctor  then  and  there. 
First,  however,  he  had  to  send  forth  his 
mounted  men  by  scores  in  search  of  the 
missing  officer  and  party.  This  done,  he 
had  once  more  summoned  Schuchardt. 
Then  he  sent  for  Ennis,  and  had  what 
they  termed  a  ' '  red  hot  row. ' ' 

In  his  exasperated  frame  of  mind, 
Button  had  been  ready  to  believe  almost 
any  story  at  the  expense  of  Lanier,  and, 
such  is  the  perversity  of  human  nature, 
it  added  to  rather  than  diminished  his 
wrath  that  his  revered  senior  surgeon 
should  promptly  corroborate  the  state 
ments  of  both  Schuchardt  and  Ennis,  and 
further  assume  personal  and  entire  re 
sponsibility  for  the  episode  of  Saturday 
afternoon  in  Lanier 's  quarters.  That 
episode  had  started  many  a  tongue,  and 
one  of  Button's  henchmen,  thinking  to 
win  favor  at  the  fountain-head  by  men 
tion  of  new  iniquity  on  the  part  of  the  cul 
prit,  had  deftly  enlarged  upon  it.  Snaffle, 

88 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

of  course,  was  the  fellow  at  fault,  and  he 
justified  it  on  the  plea  that  Lanier  was 
demoralizing  two  men  of  his  troop.  The 
story  he  told  was  that  Lanier  had  been 
carousing  at  his  quarters  with  certain 
enlisted  members  of  the  guard.  When 
told  of  it  Button  was  furious,  so  much  so 
that  for  the  time  he  forgot  about  Sumter 
and  the  ladies  of  the  Sumter  household, 
and  the  north  dormer  window  of  Sumter 's 
quarters,  reported  "  stove  in  by  the 
storm. " 

Nor  had  Sumter  himself  much  time  for 
domestic  duties  before  the  order  came  for 
him  and  his  troop  to  turn  out  to  aid  in 
the  search.  He  found  the  family  fairly 
tranquil  under  the  circumstances.  He  had 
sent  a  messenger  galloping  out  from 
town,  to  assure  his  wife  of  his  safety, 
when  Tuesday's  dawn  showed  the  storm 
sufficiently  abated.  A  devious  course  the 
rider  took,  for  the  road  was  blocked  in  a 
dozen  places,  and  every  ravine  and  hollow 
was  packed  to  the  brim  with  snow.  But 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

he  bore  glad  tidings  and  banished  all 
anxiety  on  account  of  the  husband  and 
father.  Their  anxieties  now  were  mainly 
for  Miriam,  their  guest. 

Mrs.  Sumter  had  not  half  finished  what 
she  had  to  say  concerning  Miriam  when 
the  summons  came  that  called  the  captain 
forth  to  join  the  searching  squadron,  but 
he  had  heard  enough  to  increase  the 
anxiety  in  his  fine,  soldierly  face.  He 
went  up  with  Mrs.  Sumter  and  looked 
critically  over  the  damage  to  the  window, 
in  what  had  been  Miriam's  room.  She 
had  moved,  per  force,  to  the  front — to 
Katherine's — room  Saturday  night,  for 
toward  sunset  the  storm-sash  was  torn 
out  of  the  north  dormer,  and  the  window 
blew  in  with  a  crash.  By  dark  the  room 
was  bank  full  of  snow  that  Sergeant 
Kennedy  and  a  brace  of  loyal  troopers 
had  been  shovelling  out  since  seven  that 
Tuesday  morning,  without  making  any 
great  addition  to  the  huge  drifts  at  the 
back.  Front,  flank,  and  rear,  most  of  the 

90 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

houses  along  the  line  were  packed  solidly 
to  the  attic  windows.  On  several  the  boys 
and  girls  were  already  coasting  from  the 
peak  of  the  roof  down  over  the  back 
yards,  sheds,  and  fences  and  out  toward 
Larrabee's  half -submerged  hospital. 

It  was  easy  to  see  how  and  why  the 
storm-sash  had  failed  to  withstand  the 
buffeting.  In  his  frantic  haste  and  pan 
icky  flight  the  intruder  of  Friday  night 
had  wrenched  a  hinge  from  its  fastening. 
The  sash  had  sagged  at  the  windward 
end,  and  the  rest  was  easy  for  rude 
Boreas. 

"That  sash  is  probably  somewhere 
down  in  the  back  yard,  sergeant,"  Sumter 
quietly  remarked  to  faithful  Kennedy. 
"It  's  under  fifteen  feet  of  snow,  but  when 
it  comes  to  tunnelling,  look  after  it,  see 
that  it  isn't  injured,  and  call  me  as  soon 
as  you  find  it. ' ' 

Mrs.  Sumter  looked  quickly  at  her  lord. 
She  well  knew  the  reason  of  his  instruc 
tions. 

91 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"  Did  you  show  that  scrap  of  lining?" 
she  asked,  a  moment  later,  as  they  stood 
alone  before  the  parlor  fire. 

"They  have  it,"  was  the  answer.  "I 
expect  two  of  them  out  any  moment." 

And  then  had  come  the  sudden  sum 
mons  to  turn  out,  and  with  only  brief 
greeting  to  his  daughter,  and  a  hurried 
kiss  and  caress,  Captain  Sumter  had 
mounted  and  spurred  away. 

It  must  have  been  after  twelve,  for 
orderly  call  and  mess  had  sounded  in 
front  of  the  adjutant's  office,  when  one  of 
the  hospital  attendants  came  floundering 
up  the  row  from  Lanier's,  and  made  his 
way  to  Sumter 's  door,  a  little  note  in  his 
hand.  He  would  wait,  he  said,  for  an 
answer,  and  the  maid  bade  him  step  in 
side  while  she  ran  up-stairs.  Mrs.  Sum 
ter  answered  her  knock  at  the  door  of 
Miss  Kate's  room,  into  which  the  damsels 
were  now  doubled.  To  the  disappoint 
ment  of  that  somewhat  volatile  domestic, 
Mrs.  Sumter  closed  the  portal  before  pro- 

92 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

ceeding  to  open  the  missive,  but  her  an 
nouncement,  "  From  Mr.  Lanier,"  caused 
Miriam  Arnold  to  sit  bolt  upright. 

DEAR  MRS.  SUMTER  [it  read] : 

I  've  been  living  since  Saturday  mainly  on 
your  kindness  and  that  delicious  fruit.  It  was 
more  than  good  of  you  to  take  such  care  of  your 
incarcerated  sub,  and  I'm  ashamed  to  have  sent 
no  earlier  thanks,  but  we  've  been  banked  in  until 
this  morning,  and  that  rascal  striker  of  ours  is 
missing.  He  has  n't  been  about  the  house  since 
Friday  night.  Like  Barker's  cow,  he  may  have 
blown  away.  I  reckon  they'll  find  him,  her,  and 
the  paymaster's  outfit  snowed  under  somewhere 
down  toward  Nebraska,  safe,  but  possibly  starv 
ing.  Schuchardt  has  gone  with  the  command,  so 
has  Ennis,  and  I  'm  all  alone  with  nothing  to  read. 
If  you  have  anything  moral,  instructive,  and 
guaranteed  to  soften  the  unrepentant  sinner's 
heart — something  I  could  read  with  profit  as  well 
as  pleasure — don't  sent  it,  but  tell  me  how  you 
all  stood  the  storm  and  how  you  are.  It  is  so 
hard  to  get  anything  but  admonition  out  of 
"  Shoe,"  and  "  Dad  "  is  now  more  unreliable  than 
ever. 

I  hope  Miss  Arnold  is  entirely  recovered. 
Yours  most  sincerely, 

R.  R.  LANIER. 

"The  last  thing  a  man  mentions  in  a 
note   is   the   first   thing   he   wants    an- 

93 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

swered,"  said  Mrs.  Sumter  sagely. 
' < What  shall  I  tell  him  for  you,  Miriam? " 

"Tell  me  what  is  to  be  done  to  Mm/9 
was  the  sole  reply,  as  the  girl  settled  back 
dejectedly  upon  the  pillows. 

"I  Ve  tried  to,  child,"  answered  her 
hostess  kindly,  patiently.  "There  is  n't  a 
court  in  the  army  that  would  sentence 
him  to  more  than  a  brief  confinement  to 
limits,  and  reprimand."  Yet  Mrs.  Sum 
ter  spoke  with  much  less  confidence  than 
on  Saturday.  Had  not  her  husband  had 
to  tell  her  his  application  for  leave  was 
withdrawn,  and  why?  Had  not  Doctor 
Larrabee  admitted  to  her  that  the  colonel 
spoke  of  misdeeds  far  more  serious  for 
which  Lanier  must  suffer!  Was  there 
not,  indeed,  a  story  in  circulation,  mainly 
in  the  Snaffle  set,  of  a  two-days  escapade 
when  the  regiment  camped  near  Frayne, 
and  then  a  financial  transaction  in  which 
Lanier  had  been  involved — something 
growing  out  of  an  affair  up  on  the  Yellow 
stone — something  including  that  young 

94 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

civilian  friend  of  his,  the  collegian  turned 
cowboy — Mr.  Watson  Lowndes? 

Even  as  she  strove  to  assure  Miss 
Arnold,  for  the  twentieth  time,  that  a 
military  arrest  was  far  more  portentious 
in  sound  than  in  effect,  something  in 
Kate's  determined  silence  and  Miriam's 
insistence  added  to  the  effect  of  these 
rumors.  Could  it  be  that  the  boy  had 
confided  to  the  daughter,  hitherto  his 
stanch  friend  and  ally,  that  which  he  dare 
not  confide  to  her,  his  captain's  wife? 
Could  this  account  for  the  fact  that, 
though  it  was  impossible  to  conceal  his 
love  for  Miriam,  he  never  yet  had  owned 
it  to  her — to  her  to  whom  it  was  now 
obvious  that  the  avowal  would  mean  so 
much — so  very  much! 

Then  another  thing  weighed  heavily 
upon  the  brave  heart  of  this  loving  friend 
and  mother.  Never  had  she  known  her 
child  to  be  so  silent,  so  strange,  as  now. 
Ever  since  Friday  night  she  seemed  to 
avoid  all  mention  of  the  affair,  to  shrink 

95 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

from  the  subject — she  who  had  ever  been 
frankness  itself — she  who  had  never  had  a 
thought  the  mother  did  not  share.  She 
had  become  fitful  and  nervous.  She 
seemed  oppressed  with  some  secret.  In 
the  long  hours  of  their  enforced  confine 
ment,  with  the  lamps  burning  on  the 
ground-floor  by  day  as  well  as  by  night, 
Mrs.  Sumter  had  pondered  much  over  the 
result  of  her  husband's  investigations. 
Although  Miriam's  desk  was  open  and  its 
contents  lay  scattered  on  the  table,  noth 
ing  was  missing,  even  to  the  packet  of 
ten-  and  twenty-dollar  "greenbacks"  in 
its  secret  drawer.  If  robbery  had  been 
the  object  of  the  intruder,  he  had  neg 
lected  his  opportunity,  or  else  been  fright 
ened  off  in  time.  If  robbery  was  not  his 
object,  then  what  could  it  have  been? 
The  house  was  deserted  at  the  moment  of 
his  entrance,  that  was  now  settled,  for 
first  the  cook  and  then  "Maggie"  had 
owned  to  having  run  over  to  Mrs.  Snaffle 's 
kitchen  for  a  moment,  and  the  probability 

96 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

was,  they  stayed  the  best  part  of  the  even 
ing.  The  lights  had  been  left  turned  low 
in  the  upper  and  lower  halls,  in  the 
kitchen  and  the  captain's  den.  Army 
doors  were  seldom  locked  or  bolted.  Any 
one  could  enter,  front  or  rear.  A  ma 
rauder,  if  such  he  was  in  this  instance, 
might  have  been  there  from  tattoo  at  9.30 
until  discovered  some  two  hours  later, 
and  been  there  undisturbed. 

But  why  should  the  situation  so 
strangely  affect  her  daughter?  Could  it 
be  that  she,  too,  cared  for  Bob  Lanier? 
The  thought  for  the  moment  made  the 
mother's  heart  stand  still. 

She  was  writing  her  reply  to  his  note, 
when  Maggie  again  appeared.  "Two 
gentlemen  to  see  the  captain,  mum,"  and 
Mrs.  Sumter  hurriedly  closed  the  note 
and  went  below-stairs  to  meet  them.  She 
knew  well  who  they  were  and  why  they 
had  come.  A  branch  office  of  the  Eocky 
Mountain  Detective  Agency  had  been 
maintained  long  months  at  the  great  and 

7  97 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

growing  railway  station.  They  had  been 
summoned  by  her  husband,  and  that  was 
enough. 

Yet  she  shrank  from  meeting  them, 
shrank  from  the  thought  of  the  question 
ing  that  must  ensue.  They  might  ask  to 
speak  with  Kate,  even  with  Miriam,  but 
they  did  not.  They  asked  to  be  shown  the 
room,  with  the  storm-battered  dormer,  by 
this  time  emptied  of  its  load  of  snow. 
They  asked  to  see  Miriam's  desk.  Yes, 
the  lock  had  been  forced  and  by  a  big 
knife.  They  begged  that  Mrs.  Sumter 
would  not  mention  that  to  any  one  but  the 
captain  yet  awhile.  They  were  confident 
he  would  soon  return.  They  smiled  at  the 
idea  of  the  paymaster  being  held  up  and 
robbed  in  broad  daylight  by  any  gang  in 
their  neighborhood.  They  admitted  that 
many  questionable  characters  were  in 
town — there  always  were  toward  the  holi 
days,  and  just  now,  of  course,  the  town 
was  overcrowded — three  big  trains  still 
stranded  there. 

98 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

While  they  were  yet  at  their  work,  there 
came  sounds  of  stamping  feet  at  the  front 
door,  and  in  came  Sumter,  stiff  from  cold, 
but  brimful  of  energy. 

" Found  Scott  and  his  clerk,  at  least," 
he  cried.  "'Most  dead  and  half  frozen! 
The  driver  's  gone,  I  fear.  He  was  blown 
or  pitched  off.  The  mules  ran  away 
before  the  gale.  Those  inside  the  ambu 
lance  were  helpless.  Two  dropped  off 
behind  and  are  lost.  The  thing  finally 
capsized  and  went  to  pieces,  and  they 
managed  to  reach  a  little  cattle  shack, 
two  miles  south  of  town.  They  've  found 
Lanier's  striker,  too — what  's  left  of 
him." 

By  this  time  Kate  had  come  down 
stairs,  and  with  pallid  face  was  listening 
dumbly  to  her  father's  words.  She 
seemed  hardly  to  heed  the  presence  of  the 
strangers.  Not  until  the  captain  had 
emerged  from  his  furs  and  stood  robust 
and  ruddy,  yet  a  little  short  of  breath, 
did  she  lay  her  hand  upon  his  arm  and 
ask  her  question. 

99 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

' '  Have  they  found  Eawdon  1 ' ' 

"Eawdon?  No,  not  a  sign  of  Mm 
anywhere!" 

"Is  that  the  young  fellow  that  those 
sergeants  have  been  hunting  for!"  asked 
one  of  the  detectives.  "We  managed  to 
find  out  about  him.  He  was  in  town  early 
as  three  o'clock  Friday,  and  he  left  on 
Number  Six  that  night." 

"Do  you  mean  to  tell  me,"  said  Sum- 
ter,  gazing  blankly  at  the  speaker,  "that 
he  wasn't  out  here  when — this — hap 
pened?" 

"Not  unless  he  had  wings !  That  train 
leaves  at  11.40."  Whereupon  Kate  Sum- 
ter  slowly  withdrew  her  hand,  then  turned 
away. 


VII 

ANOTHEE  day  went  by.  Major  Scott 
and  his  clerk,  under  Larrabee's  skilful 
touch,  were  gradually  regaining  strength 
and  beginning  to  answer  questions.  At 
first  their  senses  seemed  dulled,  as  though 
they  could  not  shake  off  the  frost  that 
benumbed  them.  At  first  they  could  tell 
little  of  the  cause  of  the  mishap.  The 
ambulance  was  curtained  in,  even  at  the 
rear,  through  which  the  two  scared  troop 
ers  had  managed  to  slip  to  their  doom. 
Not  until  the  snows  melted  in  the  spring, 
and  the  contents  of  the  ravines  should  be 
revealed,  was  it  likely  they  would  be  heard 
of  again.  The  railway  was  still  blocked. 
The  wires  were  still  down.  Fort  Gushing 
stood  isolated  from  the  outer  world,  and 
no  less  than  five  of  its  garrison  were 
absent  and  unaccounted  for :  the  two  men 
101 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

detailed  to  "drive  in  with  the  paymaster, 
iwo:  bacchanalians  who,  being  in  town 
when  the  storm  broke,  had  dared  each 
other  to  face  the  gale  and  tramp  out,  and 
finally  a  young  trooper  namer  Gary,  who 
had  arrived  with  the  same  recruit  squad 
that  brought  them  Rawdon,  and  had  been 
on  terms  of  friendship,  if  not  indeed  of 
intimacy,  with  him.  They  had  been  to 
gether  that  very  Friday  afternoon.  In 
addition,  whereabouts  unknown,  was  Ser 
geant  Fitzroy,  of  Snaffle's  Troop.  "Ab 
sent  with  leave, ' '  said  the  morning  report. 
"Acting  under  the  verbal  instructions  of 
the  commanding  officer,"  said  his  captain. 
Along  toward  dusk  on  Tuesday,  others 
of  the  searching  squadron,  sent  afar  down 
the  valley,  had  come  back,  reporting  that 
the  ambulance  mules  were  found,  huddled 
together,  half  starved  and  still  half  har 
nessed,  in  a  log  shack  or  shelter  to  which 
their  instinct  had  guided  them  after  their 
heels  had  made  chopsticks  of  the  running 
gear.  The  ambulance  body  was  snowed 
102 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

under  somewhere  and  nowhere  in  sight. 
The  driver,  a  civilian  employed  in  the 
Quartermaster's  Department,  had  totally 
disappeared.  Scott,  the  paymaster; 
Thomas,  his  clerk;  and  Rafferty,  Lanier's 
soldier  servant,  or  "striker"  as  then 
called,  were  still  half  dazed — Rafferty, 
indeed,  so  much  dazed  that  no  coherent 
words  had  yet  escaped  him. 

One  more  unfortunate,  the  driver  of 
Foster's  sleigh,  was  in  trouble.  Not  until 
two  hours  after  the  dance  had  he  turned 
up  with  the  missing  equipage,  a  cock-and- 
bull  story,  and  a  case  of  what  the  corporal 
called  "jag."  He  swore  that,  having  got 
chilled  through,  waiting,  he  just  thought 
to  get  one  hot  whiskey  at  the  store.  Sen 
try  Number  Six  said  he  'd  mind  the  team 
while  the  driver  went  in,  and  the  next 
thing  he  knew  "they  'd  run'd  away,  hell 
for  leather,"  and  he,  their  driver,  had 
to  follow  two  miles  to  Flint's  Ranch,  close 
to  town,  where  he  "might  have  taken  a 
nip  or  two  more. ' '  It  was  his  first  offense 

103 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

and  Foster  forgave.  It  should  be  re 
marked,  however,  that  Number  Six  de 
clared  that  it  was  not  he  with  whom  the 
driver  left  the  sleigh,  but  two  "fellers," 
i.e.,  troopers,  who  happened  to  be  near 
the  store.  However,  that  did  not  seem 
much  to  matter  at  the  time. 

And  Fort  Gushing  was  in  unhappy 
frame  of  mind.  Colonel  Button  was  in 
most  inhospitable  mood,  and  chafing 
because  he  could  not  communicate  with 
the  general  commanding  the  department. 
Mrs.  Button  was  confined  to  the  house  and 
denied  to  all  but  one  or  two  intimates. 
Bob  Lanier  was  still  in  close  arrest.  No 
man  could  say  what  might  be  the  result, 
for  Barker,  the  adjutant,  declared  he 
knew  no  more  than  they.  * l  The  Old  Man 
had  something  up  his  sleeve" — several 
somethings — against  him,  but  was  confid 
ing  in  no  one,  for  he  and  Stannard  were 
at  odds  over  the  matter;  he  and  Sumter 
were  practically  estranged  because  of  it, 
and  for  the  first  time  in  regimental  his- 

104 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

tory  Button  seemed  to  be  giving  all  his 
attention  to  Snaffle  and  men  of  his  stamp 
and  set.  They  were  not  more  than  three 
or  four  in  number.  They  had  been  rather 
tolerated  than  sought  in  the  past,  but  now 
the  colonel  seemed  to  have  use  for  them 
alone. 

And  there  was  sorrow  and  estrange 
ment  at  Sumter 's.  Never  before,  as  Mrs. 
Sumter  declared,  had  Katherine  ever  had 
a  secret  from  her  mother.  Now  there  was 
a  matter  upon  which  it  seemed  she  could 
not  talk.  Moreover,  Miriam  Arnold  was 
affected  in  precisely  the  same  way.  She 
shrank  from  all  mention  of  that  mys 
terious  affair  of  Friday  night.  Not  only 
were  they  unable  to  speak  of  it  to  Mrs. 
Sumter;  they  avoided  it  among  them 
selves. 

It  was  now  Wednesday,  and  there  had 
been  a  procession  of  callers  to  inquire  for 
Miss  Arnold.  The  girls  felt  that  they 
must  dress  and  come  down  and  face  them. 
"Are  you  sure  you  feel  equal  to  it, 

105 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Miriam?"  was  Mrs.  Sumter's  anxious 
question. 

"I  am  sure  I  do  not,"  was  the  weary 
answer,  "but  all  the  same  I  must." 

And,  being  a  girl  of  pluck,  and  much 
ashamed  of  the  breakdown  of  Friday  and 
Saturday,  Miss  Arnold  made  her  effort, 
and  did  remarkably  well  so  long  as  people 
refrained  from  prodding  her  about  her 
"strange  adventure,"  the  alleged  details 
of  which,  in  exaggerated  form,  were  gar 
rison  property  by  this  time.  There  could 
be  no  doubt,  said  nine  out  of  ten  of  the 
soldiery,  it  was  the  work  of  some  sneak- 
thief  in  uniform,  in  all  probability  that 
young  swell  Eawdon,  who  was  gone.  But 
among  a  certain  select  few  still  another 
theory  obtained,  and  Wednesday  night 
when  Sergeant  Fitzroy  returned  to  the 
post  and  asked  to  see  the  colonel,  that 
officer,  who  was  at  dinner,  sent  answer  that 
he  would  be  at  the  office  at  eight  o'clock, 
and  further  sent  word  to  Captain  Snaffle 
to  be  there  at  the  same  hour. 

106 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

A  spell  of  sharp  cold  had  followed  the 
blizzard.  The  skies  were  dazzling  at 
night  with  the  radiance  and  sparkle  of  the 
stars.  The  young  people  of  the  garrison 
were  out  in  force,  rejoicing  in  the  snow 
sports,  the  moonlight,  the  exhilarating 
air.  The  men  had  made  some  famous 
slides  over  at  the  bluffs,  and  the  children 
along  the  officers'  lines  were  playing  hide 
and  seek,  about  the  drifts  and  tunnels  at 
the  northward  end  of  the  parade.  They 
gathered  in  force  about  the  office  to  cheer 
the  colonel  as  he  came  forth  from  a  long 
conference,  which  left  him  so  absorbed  he 
hardly  noticed  their  gleeful  salute.  They 
pelted  two  prime  favorites  who  followed, 
with  droopinghead  and  woebegone  visage, 
and  never  once  responded  to  the  fun,  and 
the  youngsters  asked  one  another  what  on 
earth  could  have  happened  to  Cassidy  and 
Quinlan,  who  were  always  so  ready  to 
frolic  with  them. 

Then  Captain  Sumter  had  been  sent 
for,  and  was  admitted  to  a  five-minute 

107 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

talk  with  the  colonel  at  his  quarters,  and 
came  away  with  grave  and  troubled  face, 
to  a  ten-minutes  conference  with  his 
gentle  wife  that  left  her  sorely  worried 
and  distressed. 

"Ask  Kate,"  he  said,  as  once  more  he 
set  forth  into  the  night.  "I  've  got  to 
tramp  and  think  this  over  before  I  do 
anything  further."  And  at  that  moment 
Kate  and  Miriam  had  gone  in  to  talk 
awhile  with  Mrs.  Stannard.  It  was  best 
they  should  not  stay  home,  subject  to  in 
cessant  interview. 

It  was  just  about  quarter  of  nine.  The 
lights  at  the  office  were  still  burning,  for 
the  colonel  had  intimated  that  he  might  be 
back.  Barker  was  bending  over  some  of 
the  post  papers  and  reports  at  his  desk, 
and  wondering  why  on  earth  the  colonel 
should  be  colloguing  with  Snaffle,  Crane, 
Sergeant  Fitzroy,  and  sending  for  Gas- 
sidy  and  Quinlan.  That  was  a  queer 
"outfit"  of  Snaffle's  at  best.  It  seemed 
odd  that  the  most  pronounced  "Brit- 

108 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

isher"  in  barracks,  outside  of  the  band, 
should  be  a  sergeant  in  the  troop  com 
manded  by  the  nearest  thing  to  an  Irish 
man  among  the  captains.  True,  Fitzroy 
as  stable  sergeant  was  quite  independent, 
and,  being  very  ambitious  and  zealous, 
had  attracted  the  attention  of  other  cap 
tains,  to  wit,  Canker  and  Curbit,  rival 
troop  leaders,  who  each,  at  one  time  or 
other,  had  offered  to  make  Fitzroy  first 
sergeant  if  he  would  transfer;  but  Fitz 
roy  preferred  to  stay  where  he  was  in 
"C,"  and  it  was  easier  to  suggest  than 
it  was  to  assert  the  real  reason. 

Barker  was  busy  with  these  reflections 
when  the  colonel  once  more  entered  and 
began  pacing  moodily  up  and  down  the 
room.  The  adjutant  rose,  but  at  a  signal 
resumed  his  seat  and  waited.  He  was,  as 
he  whimsically  described  himself,  "a  relic 
of  the  previous  administration."  In 
those  days  officers  might  serve  long  years 
on  the  staff  and  never  know  an  hour  of 
company  duty.  Barker  had  been  in  the 

109 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

adjutant's  office  under  three  different 
regimental  commanders,  and,  as  etiquette 
required,  had  tendered  his  resignation  to 
Button  on  that  officer's  promotion  to  the 
colonelcy.  Button  as  promptly  and  cour 
teously  replied  that  he  hoped  Lieutenant 
Barker  would  consent  to  serve  as  right- 
hand  man  until  he  reached  his  captaincy, 
which  could  not  be  very  far  off.  But 
already  Button  was  repenting.  "  Barker 
is  too  much  wedded  to  the  old  order  of 
things,"  said  he.  " Barker  has  his  likes 
and  dislikes"  (a  weakness  the  colonel  de 
nied  to  himself),  "and  Barker  's  a  little 
inclined  to  imagine  that  nobody  can  run  a 
regiment  as  Atherton  did" — for  which,  at 
last,  there  was  this  much  foundation,  that 
Barker  thought,  if  he  did  not  say,  that 
Atherton  ran  it  much  better  than  Button 
ever  could  hope  to,  and  Button  instinc 
tively  knew  and  infinitely  resented  it.  It 
must  be  owned  of  Button  that  he  hated 
the  mere  mention  of  his  predecessor's 
name,  methods,  and  opinions.  It  was 
no 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

unlucky  indeed,  perhaps,  that  the  views 
of  one  of  the  former  colonels  had  been 
recorded  in  black  and  white  as  follows: 

"In  my  opinion  Lieutenant  Lanier  is 
one  of  the  finest  young  officers  in  the 
Cavalry. " 

Full  fifteen  minutes  the  colonel  went 
striding  up  and  down  the  long  apartment 
used  for  office,  assembly,  and  school-room. 
Once  in  a  while  he  would  turn  across  the 
hall  and  into  Barker's  smaller  room, 
pause  as  though  half  minded  to  speak, 
then  turn  out  again.  Twice  he  went  to  the 
door,  looking  over  across  the  glistening 
heaps  and  drifts,  and  letting  in  a  lot  of 
cold  air.  Twice  he  muttered  something 
about  its  taking  Snaffle  and  his  sergeant 
an  unusually  long  time  to  do  a  simple 
thing,  and  at  last,  as  the  trumpeters  were 
heard,  with  much  stamping  of  feet  and 
blowing  of  hands,  gathering  for  the  old- 
time  nightly  "walk  around "  that  pre 
ceded  tattoo  roll-call,  Button  abruptly 
turned  on  his  adjutant  and  said: 
in 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Barker,  how  long  have  you  known 
Mr.  Lanier  1 ' ' 

"Ever  since  he  joined,  sir." 

"And  you  knew  him  in  his  cadet 
days!" 

"As  an  instructor  knows  a  cadet,  yes, 
sir." 

"And  you  told  me  you  never  heard  of 
his  writing  to  newspapers?" 

"Never,  sir,"  answered  Barker,  rising 
from  his  chair  and  facing  his  commander. 
"And  I  repeat  that  I  believe  it  impossible 
for  him  to  have  had  anything  to  do  with 
those — inflammatory  articles  about  the 
campaign. ' ' 

"You  consider  him  absolutely  square — 
above  a  lie — or  a  trick  of  any  kind!" 

Barker  faltered  just  one  minute.  What 
did  the  colonel  mean  by  a  trick  1  Mischief 
there  had  been,  once  or  twice.  Tricks  had 
been  played,  and  one  only  this  last  sum 
mer  during  the  campaign — a  trick,  too, 
that  if  truth  were  told,  Lanier  should 
have  known  about.  At  least,  it  had  been 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

played  for  his  benefit,  and  had  "pulled 
the  wool''  over  the  colonel's  eyes. 

"I  consider  him  as  square  a  man  as  I 
know,  and  utterly  above  a  lie — of  any 
kind,"  was  the  final  answer. 

"And  yet  you  hesitate.  You  know,  or 
have  heard — rumors,"  said  Button  sus 
piciously. 

"I  have  heard  rumors  and  slanders, 
Colonel  Button, "  was  Barker's  probably 
injudicious  reply,  for  he  closed  with 
"and  so  many  of  them  that  I  disbelieve 
nine  out  of  ten." 

"Well,  here !"  said  Button  impulsively, 
"here  are  you  and  Stannard  and  Sumter 
— three  of  the  'old  liners/  as  you  are 
called  in  your  respective  grades — and  I 
see  plainly  enough  you  three,  and  God 
knows  how  many  more,  are  tacitly  con 
demning  my  attitude  toward  Lanier.  You 
think,  if  you  don't  say,  that  I  have  treated 
him  with  harshness  and  injustice — have 
listened  solely  to  his  accusers  and  ene 
mies.  Now,  I  Ve  had  enough  of  this ! 

8  113 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

There  is  nothing  that  requires  a  com 
mander  to  show  his  hand  to  his  subor 
dinates,  but  as  matters  stand  in  this  regi 
ment — Oh,  come  in,  Major  Stannard.  I 
sent  for  you  purposely,  and  Sumter  as 
well,  to  meet  me  here  at  tattoo."  (And 
at  the  moment,  as  the  united  force  of  field 
musicians  began  the  stirring  strains  of 
the  old  cavalry  "curfew  call,"  "The 
March  of  the  Bear,"  the  two  seniors  sol 
emnly  entered  the  presence,  removing 
their  fur  caps  as  they  bowed  to  the  com 
mander.)  "As  I  was  saying  to  Barker, 
as  matters  stand  in  this  regiment,  some 
half  a  dozen  at  least  of  the  men  referred 
to  as  its  ' representative  officers'  are  ap 
parently  resentful  of  my  arrest  of  Lieu 
tenant  Lanier,  and  attribute  my  course  to 
pique,  because  he  saw  fit  to  show  himself 
at  the  hop  I  declined  to  permit  him  as 
officer-of-the-guard  to  attend.  You  think, 
possibly,  that  because  men  like  Captain 
Snaffle,  Lieutenant  Crane,  and  one  or  two 
of  that  set  have  been  in  consultation  with 
me,  the  matters  at  issue  are  beneath  your 

114 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

notice/'  (Here  the  three  assailed  officers 
exchanged  glances,  but  said  not  a  word  in 
protest,  for  the  colonel  went  impulsively 
on.)  "They  at  least  are  loyal  to  their 
commander,  and  to  the  best  interests  of 
the  regiment.  Now  I  mean  to  show  you. 
Mr.  Barker, "  said  he  impressively,  "go 
to  Lieutenant  Lanier  and  say  that  I  desire 
his  presence  here  at  once." 

And  Barker  took  his  cap  and  cape  and 
departure  without  a  word. 

Down  the  line  in  the  moonlight  the  snow 
heaps  were  sparkling  as  though  crusted 
with  brilliants.  The  black  square  of  the 
field  music  was  trudging  out  across  an 
acre  of  the  parade  swept  clean  by  the 
recent  gale.  The  children,  in  laughing 
little  groups,  were  returning  from  their 
hour  at  the  slide,  and  here  and  there  from 
the  deep  cut  or  tunnel  in  front  of  each 
officer's  doorway  dark  muffled  figures 
were  emerging,  and  striding  away  toward 
the  barracks — subalterns  en  route  to  the 
companies  to  supervise  roll-call. 

Just  as  Barker  neared  Stannard's,  at 

115 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  head  of  the  row,  two  cloaked  and 
hooded  forms  hurried  forth,  and  Barker 
almost  collided  with  them. 

"Oh,  good  evening,  Miss  Kate!  Good 
evening,  Miss  Arnold!"  was  his  embar 
rassed  greeting.  Then,  with  attempt  at 
jocularity  for  which  he  later  could  have 
kicked  himself:  "I  'm  just  in  time  to  see 
you  home,  and  head  off  hobgoblins  and 
hoboes."  No  wonder  the  two  walked  the 
faster  and  gave  but  perfunctory  replies. 

"Indeed,  I  beg  pardon,"  he  blundered 
on.  "I  'm  just  bound  for  Larder's.  Any 
message?" 

"You  might  say  we  wish  him  speedy 
deliverance,"  answered  Kate  Sumter, 
with  unlooked-for  spirit  and  effect,  for 
the  adjutant,  in  dismay  at  his  own  awk 
wardness,  darted  swiftly  ahead,  shouting, 
"Hold  on,  Steve!"  to  an  officer  with 
whom  he  would  rather  not  have  wasted  a 
moment's  time. 

Indeed,  poor  Barker  was  sore  dis 
tressed.  He  could  not  help  hearing 

116 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

scraps  of  the  talk  that  had  passed  at  the 
office  between  the  colonel,  Snaffle,  Crane, 
and  certain  summoned  enlisted  men, 
Fitzroy,  Cassidy,  and  Quinlan  among 
them.  Even  that  poor  devil  who  had  been 
on  duty  Friday  night  as  sentry  on  Num 
ber  Five  had  been  marched  into  the  awful 
presence  of  the  commanding  officer,  and 
ordered  to  tell  who  gave  him  the  whiskey 
that  had  been  his  undoing — even  promis 
ing  immunity  from  punishment;  but  he 
was  Irish  and  true  to  his  faith  and  his 
friends,  even  they  who  had  betrayed  him, 
and  he  'd  die  first,  he  said.  Never  would 
he  "sphlit  on  the  best  feller  in  the  foort." 

And  Barker  had  heard  many  things 
that  pointed  to  Lanier — so  many  that  his 
heart  seemed  to  stop  as  he  entered  the 
door,  and  sank  at  sight  of  the  trouble  in 
the  face  of  the  young  soldier  sitting  there 
in  conference  with  Ennis  and  Doctor 
Schuchardt. 

Silently  Lanier  heard  the  summons. 
There  was  no  reason  why  he  should  not 

117 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

go,  said  the  doctor.  "The  air  will  do  you 
good,"  he  added,  "and  we'll  be  here  when 
you  come  back." 

Five  minutes  sufficed  to  reset  the  ban 
dages  and  get  him  into  his  furs.  Ten 
minutes  more  and,  for  the  first  time  since 
Friday  evening,  the  accused  officer  stood 
in  the  presence  of  his  colonel,  with  three 
tried  and  trusted  comrades  near  to  see 
him  through. 

"Mr.  Lanier,"  said  Button  presently, 
"I  have  sent  for  you  in  deference  to  the 
sentiment  in  your  behalf,  entertained  by 
officers  of  such  standing  in  the  army  as 
these  gentlemen  who  are  here  present.  I 
am  free  to  say  that  I  have  had  grave 
reasons  for  forming  a  most  unfavorable 
opinion  of  your  conduct,  even  of  your 
character.  It  has  been  my  intention  to 
forward  charges  of  a  serious  nature 
against  you,  and  to  urge  your  trial  by 
general  court-martial.  But  such  is  my 
regard  for  these  gentlemen,  and  the  ele 
ment  they  represent,  that  I  stand  ready 

118 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

to  abandon  my  views  and  adopt  theirs  on 
your  simple  word.  Can  I  say  more ! ' ' 

There  was  a  moment  of  silence.  Then 
Lanier  spoke:  "It  depends,  sir,  I  think, 
upon  what  you  wish  me  to  answer. ' ' 

Button  colored.  Turning  to  his  desk, 
he  took  from  an  envelope  several  news 
paper  clippings.  "You  know  what  these 
are,  doubtless,  Mr.  Lanier.  Do  you  care 
to  say  what  part  you  took  in  their 
preparation!" 

"I  am  glad  to  say  I  took  no  part,"  was 
the  answer. 

"No  part  at  all?  And  you  do  not  even 
know  the  author  ?" 

Lanier  *s  dark  eyes  never  swerved  from 
their  gaze.  "I  took  no  part,  sir.  I  did 
not  say — I  do  not  wish  to  say — that  I  do 
not  know  the  author,"  was  the  calm  reply. 

1 1  Then  you  admit,  or  permit  me  to  infer, 
that  you  know  him — a  member  of  this 
command,  for  no  one  else  knew  the  facts 
— and,  moreover,  that  you  shield  him?" 

"I  am  shielding  no  man,  Colonel  But- 

119 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

ton.    I  would  not  shield  a  member  of  this 
command  who  wrote  such  wrong  of  it. ' ' 

"Yet  you  know  the  author  and  you  will 
not  tell!" 

"What  little  I  know  came  in  such  a  way 
that  I  cannot  tell,"  was  the  resolute 
answer.  Button's  forehead  furrowed 
deep  and  his  voice  trembled  with  anger. 

"Enough  said — or  refused  to  be  said — 
on  that  head.  We  will  go  to  the  next. 
Who  personated  you  the  night  you  left 
your  troop  at  Laramie  and  went,  contrary 
to  orders,  to  that  frolic  at  the  post?" 

A  look  of  amaze  came  into  the  young 
officer's  face.  The  answer  came  slowly, 
painfully : 

"I  took  part  in  no  frolic,  sir.  I  went  con 
trary  to  an  order  that  had  held  good  while 
we  were  out  on  the  campaign,  but  that  we 
did  not  suppose  was  binding  there.  I 
went  to  the  post  that  night  to  help  a  fr — 
a  man  who — who  needed  money  for  an 
immediate  journey.  No  one  personated 
me  to  my  knowledge." 
120 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 


it 


I  have  the  written  report  of  the  offi- 
cer-of-the-day,  whom  I  ordered  to  inspect 
your  tent,  that  you  were  there  asleep  at 
eleven  P.M.  Subsequently  I  learned  that 
you  were  away  from  taps  until  nearly 
reveille." 

"You  could  have  heard  that  from  me, 
sir,  and  why  I  was  gone,  if  need  be," 
And  now  it  was  plain  that  Mr.  Lanier 
was  growing  angry.  This  was  a  point 
gained  by  the  colonel.  He  tried  for 
another. 

"Officers  who  make  comrades  and  inti 
mates  of  enlisted  men  take  chances 
that " 

"Colonel  Button!"  interposed  Lanier, 
hotly,  "I  protest " 

"Protest  you  may,  but  listen  you 
shall,"  was  the  instant  rejoinder.  "It  is 
well  known  you  interfered  with  a  non 
commissioned  officer  in  the  proper  dis 
charge  of  his  duty.  That  was  last  June, 
and  it  was  in  behalf  of  that  young  man 
Eawdon.  It  is  well  known  that  you  were 
121 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

hobnobbing  with  other  enlisted  men  here, 
and  gave  them  drink  and  food  in  your 
quarters  on  more  than  one  occasion.  It  is 
well  known  you  lent  civilian  clothing  to 
your  protege  for  his  latest  escapade " 

' l  Colonel  Button — gentlemen ! ' '  cried 
Lanier,  "this  is  beyond  all  right!"  In 
deed,  Stannard  and  Sumter  were  on  their 
feet,  in  expostulation,  but  the  colonel's 
blood  was  up.  Bang  went  his  bell,  and  the 
orderly  fairly  jumped  into  the  room. 

"Call  Sergeant  Fitzroy,"  said  he,  and 
in  another  moment  Fitzroy  stood  before 
them,  a  civilian  coat  and  waistcoat  hang 
ing  on  his  arm. 

"Briefly  now,  sergeant,  where  did  you 
get  those?"  demanded  Button. 

"From  the  room  that  Trooper  Eawdon 
occupied  in  town,  sir.  It 's  the  suit  he 
wore  about  town  last  Friday;"  and  so 
saying,  he  held  them  forth.  Lanier  slowly 
took  the  coat,  astonishment  in  his  eyes; 
glanced  at  the  tag  inside  the  collar,  bear 
ing  the  name  of  his  own  New  York  tailor ; 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

for  a  moment  he  searched  it  within  and 
without,  then  handed  it  quietly  back. 

"It  is  enough  like  mine  to  deceive  any 
body  but — the  owner,"  said  he. 

"Do  you  mean  to  tell  me "  began 

Button  indignantly. 

"That  this  is  not  mine!"  interposed 
Lanier.  "Yes,  sir,  and  that  one  very  like 
it  will  be  found  in  my  closet  at  home." 

"Mr.  Barker  will  go  with  you,  and  you 
will  resume  your  confinement — in  ar 
rest;"  and  Button,  in  his  anger,  was 
lashing  himself  to  language  his  hearers 
never  forgot,  and  that  some  could  hardly, 
even  long  months  after,  forgive.  "In  my 
time,  as  a  young  officer,  nothing  tempted 
one  of  our  members  to  violate  an  arrest, 
but  you " 

Pale  as  death  Lanier  faced  him. 

"Surely,  sir,  a  cry  for  help — that  I 
thought  might  mean  fire " 

"There  was  no  cry  for  help,"  inter 
rupted  the  colonel.  "There  was  no  sign 
of  fire.  Even  if  there  had  been,  it  should 

123 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

mean  nothing  to  a  man  of  honor  when 
ordered  in  arrest.  That  is  the  only  creed 
of  a  gentleman." 

And  then,  with  the  lone  trumpet  of  the 
musician  of  the  guard  wailing  its  good 
night  to  the  garrison — the  sweet,  solemn 
strain  of  "Taps" — the  adjutant  led  his 
stunned  and  silent  comrade  home. 


VIII 

and  Schuchardt  were  still  there, 
and  started  at  sight  of  Lanier 's  white 
face.  Without  a  word  he  led  on  to  an 
inner  room,  where  Ennis  sprang  to  his 
side.  "Help  me  off  with  these, "  he  said, 
"and  bring  a  lamp.  Come  up-stairs, 
Barker;"  and,  wondering,  both  the  others 
followed.  There  were  but  two  sleeping 
rooms  aloft  in  the  little  bachelor  set. 
Ennis  had  the  one  facing  the  parade. 
Lanier 's  looked  out  upon  the  hospital  and 
surgeon's  quarters  at  the  back.  Into  this 
room  marched  Bob  Lanier  and  threw  open 
the  door  of  the  single  closet  wherein  was 
hanging  uniform  and  civilian  garb  in 
some  profusion.  Ennis  held  the  lamp  on 
high,  and  with  his  free  hand  Lanier  began 
throwing  out  the  contents — a  new  uni 
form  dress  coat,  an  older  one  that  had 

125 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

done  duty  for  the  three  previous  years, 
two  sack  coats  or  " blouses,"  the  police 
officers'  overcoat  of  the  day,  several  pairs 
of  blue  trousers,  with  the  broad  stripe  of 
the  cavalry,  and  these  as  they  came  were 
flung  on  the  bed  by  Barker  and  "Shoe." 
Then  appeared  a  suit  of  evening  clothes, 
carefully  handled.  Then  a  brown  busi 
ness  suit  of  tweeds,  then  a  light  drab  over 
coat,  and  then  the  closet  was  well  nigh 
empty,  and  Lanier  faced  them  with  the 
simple  words :  ' '  It 's  gone ! ' ' 

"What  's  gone?"  demanded  Ennis. 

"Why,  that  dark  gray  mixture  sack 
suit  I  brought  from  leave  last  year.  It 
always  hung  'way  back  in  here." 

"Who  wants  it  now,  I  'd  like  to  know!" 
demanded  Ennis. 

"Our  colonel,  who  accuses  me  of  cos 
tuming  Eawdon  for  his  getaway."  And 
the  three  friends  looked  at  each  in  some 
thing  like  consternation. 

Then  Barker  spoke:  "It 's  only  fair  to 
the  colonel  to  tell  the  rest,  Bob.  Eaw- 

126 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

don's  box,  that  lie  left  for  safe  keeping 
with  a  friend  in  town,  had  not  only  the 
suit  you  saw  at  the  office,  but  a  new  fur  cap 
with  your  name  in  it.  There  were  other 
things  that  looked  queer.  The  day  of  the 
storm  Quinlan  came  over  to  the  guard 
house  after  his  visit  here,  wearing  a  new 
cap  instead  of  his  old  one,  and  Cassidy 
swooped  on  it,  thinking  it  yours,  for  it 
was  here  he  got  it,  and  the  name  in  that 
cap  was  Eawdon.  It  leaked  out  somehow. 
Fitzroy  hunted  the  story  down." 

"The  name  was  burnt  out  when  Cas 
sidy  brought  it  back  to  me,"  said  Lanier 
slowly.  "He  claimed  that  in  lighting  his 
pipe " 

"Poor  Cassidy  lied  every  way  he  could 
think  of  to  save  you,"  said  Barker  rue 
fully.  "It 's  the  young  cad  you  befriended 
and  helped  along  that 's  tricked  you  in 
the  end,  and  you  're  not  the  only  man, 
I  'm  afraid." 

"Eoped  Eafferty  in,  I  suppose,"  said 
Schuchardt,  while  a  light  of  superior  wis- 

127 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

dom  stole  slowly  over  the  face  of  Lieu 
tenant  Ennis. 

"Rafferty,  doubtless,  to  the  extent  of 
bribing  or  wheedling  him  out  of  Bob's 
new  cits " 

"But  those  were  not  mine  that  Fitzroy 
had!"  burst  in  Lanier. 

"Of  course  not.  He  's  left  you  a  worn 
suit  in  place  of  the  new.  Where  'd  he 
steal  that  one,  I  wonder?  There  isn't 
another  officer  of  your  size  and  build  at 
the  post.  But,  here,  I  've  got  to  go  back 
and  report,  and  my  report  will  be  in  these 
words:  'Mr.  Lanier  has  been  robbed, 
too,'  "  and  Barker  made  for  the  stairs. 

"One  moment,"  called  Ennis.  "You 
said  Bob  was  n't  the  only  man  this  fellow 

had  tricked.  Do  you  mean "  he 

paused  suggestively. 

"I  mean,  yes — that  there  's  more  than 
one  man,  and  there  's  at  least  one  poor 
girl  in  the  garrison  to  mourn  that  fellow's 

loss,  and  be  d to  him!"  and  with  that 

Barker  was  gone. 

128 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Button  listened  to  his  adjutant's  report 
with  something  almost  like  a  sneer. 
Stannard  and  Sumter  heard  it  with  grave 
faces,  but  without  a  word.  Snaffle,  who 
had  drifted  in,  sniggered  with  obvious 
triumph. 

"Gentlemen,"  said  the  colonel,  "you 
have  not  heard  the  half  of  what  I  know, 
and  every  day  brings  something  new. 
This  comes  in  from  Laramie  to-day, 
brought  with  the  mail  that  lay  over  at  the 
Chugwater  during  the  storm.  Eead  that, 
Stannard."  And  Stannard  took  the 
paper  and  glanced  over  it,  blinked  his 
eyes,  sniffed,  and  said:  "I  Ve  heard 
about  that  case,  and  I  '11  take  Lanier's 
story  any  day  against — that  fellow's 
affidavit." 

"Major  Stannard,"  said  Button  se 
verely,  "you  are  speaking  contemptu 
ously  of  your  superior  officer." 

1 1  Colonel  Button, ' '  answered  Stannard, 
with  high  held  head,  but  with  firm  hand 
on  his  temper,  "I  am  speaking  contemptu- 

9  129 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

ously  of  my  superior  officer's  informant, 
not  of  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort 
Laramie.  If  you  care  to  look  you  will  see 
that  he  quotes,  not  asserts,  that  'this 
money  was  advanced  to  Mr.  Lowndes  on 
Mr.  Lanier 's  statement  that  the  young 
man  was  summoned  home  by  the  serious 
illness  of  his  mother,  and  that  he,  Mr. 
Lanier,  would  he  responsible  for  the 
transaction.  Mr.  Lowndes  has  never  re 
paid  it,  and  Mr.  Lanier  when  appealed  to 
four  weeks  since  not  only  refused  to  make 
it  good,  but  abused  and  cursed  me  for 
simply  asking  for  what  was  my  own.' 
Now,  sir,"  concluded  Stannard,  "I 
haven't  sought  to  learn  the  facts  in  the 
case,  but  I  '11  bet  ten  dollars  to  ten  cents 
you  have  yet  to  hear  them. ' ' 

"Very  good,  gentlemen,"  answered 
Button,  rising  in  obvious  chagrin.  "It 
is  quite  evident  in  your  opinion  Mr. 
Lanier  is  a  persecuted  saint  and  I  am  an 
abandoned  sinner,  but  just  as  soon  as  I 
can  reach  Omaha  this  case  shall  be  laid 

130 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

before  a  general  court-martial,  and  mean 
while  I  waste  no  more  words  defending 
my  actions." 

Whereupon,  with  formal  "Good-night, 
sir,"  from  Stannard  and  Sumter,  and  a 
grumpy  dismissal  from  the  indignant 
commander,  the  ill-starred  conference 
broke  up.  Snaffle,  pouring  balm  into 
Button's  ready  ear,  as  he  saw  him  home, 
went  in  and  drank  his  health  at  the  well- 
stocked  sideboard,  and  then  started 
straightway  across  the  parade  to  his 
troop  quarters,  and,  late  as  it  was,  called 
for  his  first  sergeant. 

The  men  were  mostly  in  bed,  as  they 
should  be  at  such  an  hour,  but  there  had 
been  an  informal  dance,  and  many  of  the 
sergeants  were  still  at  the  hop  room.  Be 
yond  this  brightly  lighted  building,  and 
about  in  the  rear  of  the  infantry  barracks 
at  the  westward  end,  was  the  slide  into 
the  creek  valley,  whereat  so  many  of  the 
officers'  children  had  been  coasting  early 
in  the  evening,  and  where  now — nearly 

131 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

eleven  o'clock — half  a  hundred  young 
people  of  both  sexes,  wives  and  daughters 
of  quartermaster's  employees  and  of  the 
elder  sergeants,  attended  by  their  gallants 
from  the  garrison,  were  having  a  merry 
time  of  it.  The  moon  shone  in  brilliance. 
The  night  air,  frosty  and  still,  was  full  of 
exhilaration.  The  officer-of-the-guard, 
merely  cautioning  the  revellers  to  control 
their  impulse  to  shout,  had  gone  on  his 
way  with  implied  permission  to  keep  up 
the  fun,  and  presently  other  officers  ap 
peared  upon  the  brow  of  the  bluff,  inter 
ested  observers.  One  of  them,  the  junior 
medical  officer  of  the  post,  was  known  to 
all,  for  his  duty  it  was  to  attend  the  fami 
lies  of  the  soldiery  resident  in  the  little 
village  of  their  own,  just  west  of  the 
quartermaster's  corral,  and  sheltered  by 
the  long  line  of  bluffs  from  the  northerly 
gale.  Deep  in  snowdrifts  lay  the  snug 
little  cabins,  cottages  and  shacks,  wherein 
dwelt  these  blithe-hearted  folk — many  of 
the  girls  as  pretty,  and  to  the  full  as 

132 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

coquettish,  as  their  sisters  of  the  official 
circle  in  the  big  "fort"  enclosure  above. 
Still  farther  to  the  west  lay  three  little 
houses  on  the  level  "bench,"  by  the  swift- 
running  stream — the  homes  of  the  corral- 
master,  the  wagon-master  and  the  veteri 
narian — civilians  all,  as  then  ordained, 
yet  men  who  had  lived  their  lives  with  the 
army  on  the  frontier. 

And  it  was  one  of  these,  the  veterinary 
surgeon,  a  gray-haired  man  of  nearly 
sixty,  who  presently  came  toiling  up  the 
hillside,  touched  his  fur  cap  front  in  salu 
tation  to  tall  Lieutenant  Ennis,  and 
begged  leave  to  speak  a  moment  with 
Doctor  Schuchardt,  whom  he  led  slowly 
away. 

Looking  gravely  after  them  and  pon 
dering  many  things  in  mind,  Ennis,  none 
the  less,  had  attentive  ear  for  the  chatter 
and  gossip  of  a  neighboring  group  that 
had  suspended  their  sledding  for  the 
moment  and  were  curiously  watching  the 
pair. 

133 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

' '  There  's  no  more  the  matter  wid  Dora 
May  hew  than  there  is  wid  me,  'cept  one, ' ' 
said  a  red-cheeked  maid  of  "laundress 
row,"  to  the  eager  group  about  her. 
"She  's  been  daft  about  that  young  dude 
Eawdon  ever  since  he  came  last  spring 
to  Frayne." 

"Yes,  an'  deef  to  Cockney  Fitz," 
laughed  another. 

And  Ennis,  turning  quickly,  noted  the 
group,  four  young  non-commissioned  offi 
cers  and  three  of  the  garrison  girls,  all 
of  them  toying  with  the  name  of  good  old 
Mayhew's  bonny  daughter,  she  whom  that 
veteran  English  horseman  had  taught 
and  guarded  with  such  jealous  care,  to 
the  end  that  jealousy  burned  in  the  hearts 
of  a  dozen  other  girls  less  favored  in  face 
or  fortune.  Well  had  Ennis  known  of 
Sergeant  Fitzroy's  aspirations.  Few  in 
the  regiment  had  not,  and  few  there  were 
who  did  not  know  that,  in  spite  of  May 
hew's  avowed  dislike  for  him,  the  girl  had 
for  a  time  encouraged.  It  may  have  been 

134 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

only  to  pique  the  others,  for  Fitzroy  was 
clever,  well-to-do,  a  rising  man  in  the  ser 
vice;  indeed,  one  who  had  "  money  in  the 
bank  and  men  in  his  toils,"  said  elder 
women  in  the  quarters. 

Then,  in  April,  to  Fort  Frayne,  had 
come  this  handsome  young  fellow  Eaw 
don,  with  better  looks,  better  manners, 
and  even,  as  it  seemed,  better  money,  for 
Eawdon  was  lavish  where  Fitzroy  was 
"near,"  and  the  favor  of  the  young  girl, 
who  had  toyed  with  the  Englishman, 
turned  from  him  to  this  unknown.  Then 
the  whole  command  went  forth  to  war  and 
to  a  summer  of  sharp  work.  Then  with 
the  late  October,  headquarters,  band,  and 
six  troops  had  been  transferred  from 
Frayne  to  Gushing,  close  in  to  civilization. 
Then  had  come  Fitzroy 's  new  opportun 
ity,  with  Eawdon  left  at  Frayne.  Then 
had  come  Eawdon  himself ;  then  the  night 
of  mystery;  then  the  day  of  the  storm, 
and  when  the  skies  above  were  clear  again 
Eawdon  was  gone,  no  man  knew  whither, 

135 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

leaving  a  trail  of  suspicion,  accusation, 
and  a  weeping,  well-nigh  desperate  girl 
behind. 

And  in  this  web  of  intrigue  and  mys 
tery  Bob  Lanier  had  become  deeply,  even 
dangerously,  involved.  Ennis  was  sorely 
worried.  It  was  to  see  Mayhew  the  two 
friends  had  come,  and,  lo,  Mayhew  had 
met  them  on  the  way,  himself  in  trouble 
and  perplexity. 

" Where  did  you  say  she  was  now?" 
Ennis  heard  the  doctor  ask,  as  they  re 
joined  him. 

"She  went  to  speak  with  Mrs.  Stan- 
nard,  but  said  ladies  were  there,  so  she 
came  back  a  while  ago.  I  could  hear  her 
crying  in  her  room  before  she  went  the 
second  time;"  and  poor  Mayhew 's  head 
was  drooping. 

"And  you  wish  me  to  see  her  to-night!" 

"If  you  'd  be  so  good,  doctor.  She  '11 
soon  be  home.  I  was  going  over  in  search 
of  her  now." 

"Wait,"  said  Ennis.    "Listen!" 

136 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

There  was  a  flurry  among  the  revellers 
a  few  rods  away.  Two  men  had  run 
toward  the  corner  of  the  nearest  barrack, 
looming  black  against  the  northward  sky. 
Others  could  be  seen  hurrying  after  them. 
Then,  could  it  be?  Yes,  sharp  and  clear 
came  the  sound  of  a  shot  from  away  over 
toward  the  hospital.  Another  nearer; 
another  still  nearer,  and  distant  shouts, 
and  then  the  blare  of  the  trumpet. 

' t  Come  on !  It  's  fire ! ' '  said  Ennis,  and 
sprang  in  pursuit  of  the  leaders,  "Shoe," 
and  Mayhew  following.  "It  's  fire!" 
went  up  the  cry  along  the  hillside. 
"Fire!"  echoed  the  nearest  sentry,  let 
ting  fly  the  load  in  his  rifle.  "Fire!" 
shouted  the  few  wakeful  fellows  in  bar 
racks,  tumbling  instantly  every  man  from 
his  bunk  to  his  boots  and  into  his  ready 
clothes.  "Fire!"  yelled  the  sergeant-of- 
the-guard,  as  he  tore  in  among  his  sleep 
ing  comrades.  "Fire!"  echoed  the  cry 
from  barrack  to  barrack,  as  the  men 
poured  forth  into  the  night,  and  then,  as 

137 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Ennis  rounded  the  corner  and  came  in 
full  view  of  the  wide  open  parade  with  the 
long  line  of  quarters  beyond,  his  heart 
leaped  for  his  throat  in  wild  dismay. 
"My  God,  lieutenant,  it 's  your  house !" 
panted  a  racing  trooper.  "My  God,  and 
Bob's  all  alone!"  sobbed  Ennis,  as  he 
sped  through  the  snow,  for  already  from 
the  front  dormer  and  from  the  lower  win 
dows  the  flames  were  mounting  high  in  the 
trail  of  a  black  volume  of  smoke,  and  over 
the  crackle  and  roar  of  the  fire,  the  rush 
and  clamor  of  men,  the  thrilling  alarum  of 
echoing  bugle  and  trumpet,  there  rose  on 
the  night  air  the  scream  of  a  girl,  implor 
ing  instant  aid,  and  this  time  at  least 
there  could  be  no  doubt,  for  the  cry  was, 
"Save  him!  Save  him!" 

Of  the  minutes  that  followed  no  man 
could  give  collected  account.  All  Ennis 
saw  as  he  came  staggering  round  to  the 
rear  of  the  flaming  furnace  that  once  was 
a  house,  was  a  wild-eyed  girl  being  led 
away  by  a  group  of  sympathetic  women, 

138 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

and  a  little  group  of  men  bundling  a 
slender  yet  vigorously  protesting  form  in 
a  snow  drift,  where  one  or  two  others 
were  being  rolled  and  buffeted;  while 
others  still,  with  a  keening  Irishman  in 
their  grasp,  were  lugging  him  back  to  hos 
pital;  while  Corporal  Cassidy,  with  his 
hair  singed  close  to  his  head,  his  face  and 
hands  seared  and  his  clothing  soaked, 
smoking,  and  a  general  wreck,  was  striv 
ing  to  evade  his  handlers  and  stand  atten 
tion  to  the  colonel,  who  for  his  part  was 
bending  over  Bob  Lanier  just  emerging 
from  his  third  involuntary  plunge  in  the 
drifts,  and  sputtering  objurgations  on 
his  would-be  benefactors. 

"In  God's  name,  Lanier,"  almost 
wailed  the  colonel,  as  at  last  that  young 
gentleman,  likewise  singed  and  scorched 
and  soaked  and  dripping,  yet  preternat- 
urally  cool  for  one  just  out  of  a  blazing 
hell,  found  his  feet  and  faced  his  com 
mander — "in  God's  name,  why  didn't 


139 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

you  jump  when  they  told  you  ?    There  was 

nothing  but  snowdrifts  below » 

'  There  was  a  colonel  coming, "  said 
Bob,  with  a  grin  of  mingled  anguish  and 
satisfaction,  "who  held  that  sort  of  thing 
to  be  breach  of  arrest." 


IX 


FEW  men  slept  the  rest  of  the  night  for 
talking  over  the  stirring  scenes  of  that 
spectacular  fire.  Indeed,  there  had  been  a 
strenuous  fight  to  keep  it  from  spreading, 
and  the  Graysons'  quarters  next  door 
were  badly  scorched,  and  the  Graysons 
woefully  scared,  before  the  little  bachelor 
hall  had  burned  itself  out.  Big  Jim  Ennis 
had  lost  pretty  much  everything  he  owned 
except  what  he  had  on.  Lanier  was  not 
much  better  off.  As  to  the  origin  of  the 
fire,  Bob  merely  said  that  he  had  turned 
the  lights  low  in  the  sitting-room,  and, 
obedient  to  i '  Shoe 's ' '  orders,  had  gone  up 
to  his  roost,  too  wrathful  and  amazed 
over  what  had  occurred  even  to  think  of 
sleep — to  think,  in  fact,  of  anything  but 
the  colonel's  words.  So  absorbed  was  he, 
as  he  slowly  undressed,  he  never  noted 

141 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  sounds  from  below  until  his  room  of  a 
sudden  seemed  filled  with  smoke,  and, 
throwing  open  the  door,  he  was  amazed  to 
find  the  hallway  ablaze,  the  stairs  im 
passable.  Bunning  to  his  dormer  window, 
he  yelled  fire  at  the  top  of  his  voice.  Sen 
try  Number  Five  heard  and  came  running 
down  along  the  back  fence ;  saw  the  peril, 
let  drive  a  shot  and  gave  the  yell  that 
roused  every  one  at  the  hospital — poor 
Bafferty,  half  crazed,  half  dazed,  and  by 
no  means  half  dressed,  coming  leaping 
along  among  the  first. 

And  there  at  his  back  window,  choking 
with  smoke  and  tossing  out  clothing  and 
other  belongings,  stood  Mr.  Lanier.  Some 
men  went  searching  for  ladders  up  the 
line  of  back  yards,  the  post  hook  and 
ladder  truck  being,  of  course,  on  the  far 
side  of  the  garrison.  There  being  no 
extension  and  sheds  to  this  little  box,  as 
to  the  larger  quarters  up  the  line,  other 
men  began  shouting,  and  Lieutenant 
Grayson  imploring  Mr.  Lanier  to  jump, 

142 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

for  already  the  flames  had  burst  through 
the  windows  below.  Then  came  the  epi 
sode  the  regiment  laughed  over,  swore 
over,  talked  over,  many  a  long  year  there 
after.  To  Grayson's  appeal  Bob's  only 
answer  was  a  calm  and  deliberate : 

"Give  my  compliments  to  the  colonel, 
will  you,  and  tell  him  that,  my  quarters 
being  all  abaze,  I  'd  like  an  extension  of 
arrest !" 

Then  Sumter  and  Stannard  came  in, 
tumultuous,  and  ordered  him  down,  and 
Blake  and  Curbit,  and  the  rest  of  the  card 
party,  came  tearing  after  them,  and 
berated  him  for  an  absurdity,  and  im 
plored  him  not  to  be  an  ass.  And  then  a 
bright  tongue  of  flame  licked  in  through 
the  transom  behind  him,  and  the  door 
panels  burst  from  the  heat,  and  all  the 
room  at  his  back  suddenly  blazed  with  fire, 
and  then  went  up  the  cry  from  that  agon 
ized  girl,  at  sound  of  which  Lanier  started 
and  strove  to  climb  to  the  little  window- 
sill,  with  a  lurid  sheet  lapping  down  about 

143 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

his  head,  and  then  a  brace  of  young 
Irishmen,  Cassidy  foremost,  came  scram 
bling  up  a  human  pyramid,  smoking  and 
singeing  below  them.  They  reached  the 
blazing  eaves  and  burst  through  the 
fringe  of  flame,  dragging  Bob  forth  and 
on  to  the  edge,  and  then  tottered  all 
together  into  that  blessed  mound  of  snow 
beneath,  fast  melting  in  the  glare  of  that 
fiery  furnace. 

Then  came  the  commander,  and  the 
swift  running  soldiers,  and  all  the  anti 
quated  fire  apparatus,  and  most  of  the 
families.  Soon  the  hooks  were  locked  in 
the  blazing  framework,  and  speedily  the 
little  bachelor  den  was  torn  into  hissing 
and  smoking  fragments.  Meantime 
Lanier  and  Cassidy,  Blake,  Horton,  and 
nearly  a  dozen  daring  fellows  who  had 
risked  their  skins  to  save  their  lieutenant, 
had  been  led  over  to  hospital  to  be  cooled 
off  and  lotioned  and  bandaged  and 
variously  put  to  bed,  and  when  at  last  not 
a  spark  could  be  found  in  the  black,  un- 

144 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

sightly  ruins,  and  even  they  had  been 
buried  under  bushels  of  snow,  the  colonel 
and  his  men-at-arms  went  back  to  quar 
ters,  and  many  of  the  officers  to  the  store, 
to  talk  it  all  over,  especially  what  Bobby 
had  said  to  Button. 

And  thus  were  we  brought  to  the  morn 
ing  of  Thursday,  the  sixth  since  the  event 
ful  night  when  Miriam  Arnold's  shriek 
had  alarmed  the  garrison — Miriam,  whose 
voice  had  now  been  heard  a  second  time, 
upraised  in  frantic  dread  and  appeal,  but 
this  time  for  the  young  soldier  who,  on 
the  previous  Friday  night,  forgetful  of 
his  arrest,  had  rushed  forth  at  her  cry, 
but  this  night  had  to  be  dragged — Miriam 
who  now  lay  sick  from  maidenly  shame 
that  in  one  wild  appeal  to  save  her  lover 
she  had  so  betrayed  herself. 

"With  Thursday  noon  came  resumption 
of  telegraphic  communication,  and  the 
long-stalled  railway  trains  from  east  and 
west.  With  Thursday  afternoon  came 
" wires"  from  Arnold,  the  father,  begging 

10  145 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

to  know  had  his  daughter  started,  and 
back  went  the  electric  message  that  she 
neither  had  nor  could,  nor  would  for  a 
week— "full  details  by  post."  With 
Thursday  evening  came  stacks  of  belated 
letters,  "with  whole  bales  of  news 
papers,"  said  the  stage  driver,  to  follow, 
and  with  Thursday  midnight,  long  after 
every  one  had  gone  to  bed,  there  came  a 
tapping  at  Major  Stannard's  storm  door, 
and  presently  a  fumbling  at  the  bell  knob, 
a  clanging  of  the  bell. 

"What  now?"  thought  the  sleepy 
major,  as  he  scuttled  down-stairs  in 
slippers  and  dressing-gown.  "Who  's 
there!"  he  growled,  as  he  unbolted  the 
door.  That  fire  down  the  line  had  made 
people  nervous.  There  was  no  saying 
how  it  started. 

"It  is  Mayhew,  sir,  said  a  solemn  voice. 
"I've  come  not  hoping,  only  praying,  I 
may  find  my  daughter  here." 

"Good  God!"  said  Stannard.  "Come 
in,"  and  led  forthwith  his  aged  and  trem- 

146 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

bling  comrade  within  doors,  seated  him 
by  the  still  glowing  stove  in  the  front 
room,  and  struck  a  light.  In  less  than  a 
minute  Mrs.  Stannard,  too,  had  joined 
them,  her  kind  blue  eyes  filled  with  tender 
pity  and  sorrow.  She,  at  least,  was  not 
entirely  unprepared.  Poor  motherless 
Dora  had  no  lack  of  friendly  counsel  and 
fond,  womanly  sympathy  when  once  she 
could  be  brought  to  lay  her  burden  there. 
If  only  she  had  earlier  sought  that  wise 
and  winsome  monitor!  But  Mrs.  Stan 
nard  had  not  been  at  Frayne  in  the  early 
summer,  not  until  the  major  was  assigned 
to  station  at  Gushing  had  the  good  wife 
joined  him,  and  meanwhile  there  had  been 
no  hand  to  guide,  only  a  fond  and  pas 
sionate  young  heart.  And  now,  with  his 
gray  hairs  bowed  in  sorrow  to  the  dust, 
poor  Mayhew  had  come  to  tell  his  piteous 
tale.  Ever  since  young  Eawdon  had  gone 
with  the  paymaster  she  had  been  fitful 
and  nervous.  Ever  since  their  coming  to 
Gushing,  four  weeks  agone,  she  had  been 

147 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

watching,  waiting,  listening,  often  weep 
ing,  and  when  letters  came  for  her,  with 
the  postmark  of  Fetterman  or  Laramie, 
Eed  Cloud  or  the  cantonment  in  the  Hills, 
he  could  not  but  note  her  feverish  eager 
ness  and  her  instant  escape  to  her  own 
room  to  read  her  treasure  alone.  Oh,  yes, 
he  knew  they  must  be  from  Eawdon.  He 
had  liked  the  lad,  knew  there  was  good 
stuff  in  him,  and  he  could  not  bear  that 
fellow  Fitzroy,  who  was  a  military  loan 
shark,  a  man  who  fattened  on  the  needs 
or  weaknesses  of  his  comrades.  He  hated 
to  think  of  his  bonny  girl's  losing  her 
heart  to  Fitzroy.  He  owned  he  rather 
welcomed  Eawdon 's  advances  and  re 
joiced  that  she,  too,  seemed  to  prefer  him. 
But — God !  He  had  never  looked  for — 
this!  Oh,  where  had  she  gone? — and 
why?  He  had  found  her  at  home  and  in 
tears  after  the  fire.  All  morning  long  she 
had  been  in  an  agony  of  nervousness. 
Then  that  afternoon,  some  time,  somehow, 
she  got  a  message  or  letter,  and  then, 

148 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

kissing  him  and  saying  she  would  be 
better  in  bed,  had  gone  to  her  room,  but 
not  to  sleep.  At  eleven  o'clock  old  Chloe's 
sobbing  aroused  him.  He  found  it  all 
deserted.  Dora  had  disappeared,  leav 
ing  not  one  word  to  comfort  him. 

They  lost  no  time,  those  men  of  the 
field  and  the  frontier.  Stannard  was 
dressed  and  out  in  twenty  minutes;  had 
summoned  Ennis,  Field,  and  others 
among  the  young  officers ;  had  routed  out 
half  a  troop  and  could  have  had  the  entire 
garrison,  for  few  were  the  soldiers  who 
would  not  search  all  night  or  work  all 
day  for  good  old  Mayhew  and  his  pretty 
daughter.  Perhaps  that  was  one  reason 
why,  until  this  night,  so  many  maids  and 
mothers  among  the  sergeants'  families 
envied  and  slandered  her.  Mayhew  had 
been  far  from  wise,  and  Dora,  indeed,  had 
none  to  guide.  Kindly  and  cordially 
treated  as  he  and  she  had  been  by  the 
officers  and  their  wives — being,  in  fact, 
superior  socially  to  the  Snaffle  household, 

149 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

if  not  to  certain  others — there  was  yet 
this  bar  to  hold  them  back:  they  dined 
and  danced  not  with  the  " commissioned" 
element  of  the  post  whereat  Mayhew  was 
stationed.  They  were  of  finer  clay  than 
the  people  of  the  rank  and  file,  and  so, 
with  the  families  of  the  forage  and  wagon- 
master,  the  chief  packer  and  old  Ordnance 
Sergeant  Shell,  they  made  np  a  little 
middle  class  of  their  own,  when  Dora's 
heart  had  gone  out,  ungrudingiy,  to  hand 
some,  clever,  educated  George  Bawdon, 
whom  all  men  could  see  had  been  reared 
among  gentlefolk,  and  who,  as  further 
fascination,  was  supplied  from  some  un 
known  source  with  money  which  he  spent 
with  lavish  hand. 

The  moon  was  in  the  fourth  quarter 
now,  yet  still  bright  enough  to  aid  them, 
and  up  and  down  the  creek  bank  went  the 
searchers,  probing  every  pool,  searching 
every  shallow.  It  was  odd — or  was  it 
odd? — that  for  half  an  hour  no  man,  no 
matter  what  he  thought,  went  down  and 

150 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

banged  at  the  door  of  "C"  Troop's  stable 
— where  in  cozy  quarters  and  solemn 
state,  guarded  by  the  sentries  on  either 
flank,  slept  that  surly  magnate  among  the 
non-commissioned  officers — Fitzroy,  the 
stable  sergeant  of  Snaffle's  troop.  What 
ever  had  befallen  poor  Dora  Mayhew,  it 
was  not  to  join  Cockney  Fitzroy  she  had 
fled. 

Had  she  fled  to  join  anybody!  was  the 
question  that  racked  so  many  a  heart,  for, 
with  the  possible  exception  of  gentle  Mrs. 
Stannard,  the  girl  had  made  no  confidant. 
It  was  stanch  old  Chloe  who  would  have 
it  that  her  pet  and  pride  from  childhood, 
her  solemn  charge  since  the  poor  mother's 
death  eight  years  before,  had  never  left 
her  father's  roof  to  do  harm  to  herself 
and  break  their  hearts.  If  morning  came 
without  her,  she  surely  had  been  lured 
away,  and,  if  "Marss  Eawdon"  had 
really  gone,  who  was  there  who,  through 
love  or  fear  or  threat  or  artifice  of  any 
kind,  could  lure  her? 

151 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

It  was  this,  full  fifteen  minutes  after 
Lieutenant  Field  and  two  of  his  men  had 
trotted  off  to  town,  that  started  old  Stan- 
nard  and  big  Jim  Ennis  down  the  valley 
from  the  veterinarian's,  through  " Suds- 
town,  ' '  where  girls  and  women  were  hud 
dling  and  whispering  at  the  news ;  through 
the  hay  and  wood-yards,  where  the  sentry 
challenged  sharply,  so  often  had  he  halted 
searching  parties  in  the  last  ten  minutes ; 
past  the  little  shack  where  dwelt  the  far 
riers  and  blacksmiths,  many  of  them 
alight,  for  the  story  had  gone  sweeping; 
and  so  at  last  they  came  to  the  long  cav 
alry  stables,  standing  gable  ends  to  the 
north,  like  so  many  companies  in  close 
column,  and  at  the  sixth  of  these,  farthest 
from  the  bluff  whereon  stood  the  bar 
racks  and  quarters,  they  stopped  and 
banged  at  the  door.  No  answer — even 
when  the  sentry  came  to  their  aid  and 
hammered  with  the  butt  of  his  carbine. 
They  went  round  and  rattled  at  the  win 
dow  of  the  sergeant's  room.  Still  no 

152 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

response,  and  at  their  beck  the  sentry 
yelled  for  the  corporal-of-the-guard,  who 
had  followed  down,  expectant. 

"I  '11  have  him  out,"  said  he,  and  ran 
round  to  the  south  end,  and  presently 
came  back,  panting  but  triumphant.  He 
had  roused  the  two  stable  orderlies.  They 
would  open  up  in  a  minute.  They  did, 
with  much  blinking  of  eyes  and  some 
demur,  but  stood  abashed  when  the  burly 
major  strode  in,  big  Jim  Ennis  at  his 
heels.  The  latter  hesitated  not  one  sec 
ond.  His  weight  went  in  with  the  bat 
tering  ram  of  that  muscular  leg  and  mas 
sive  foot,  and  the  sergeant's  door  flew 
open  before  them.  The  room  was  empty. 
Fitzroy  and  Fitzroy's  furs  were  gone. 
Nor  was  that  all.  Snatching  a  stable  lan 
tern  from  the  hand  of  one  of  the  shaking 
grooms,  Ennis  swung  it  high  aloft.  Two 
empty  stalls  stood  close  at  hand. 

"I  thought  so,"  said  he,  then  grabbed 
the  nearest  orderly  by  the  coat  collar. 
"Who  took  Lieutenant  Foster's  sleigh 

153 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

and  team,"  demanded  he,  "and  how  long 
ago?" 

"Sergeant  Fitzroy,  sir,"  came  the 
answer,  with  a  doleful  whine,  "just  before 
the  third  relief,  at  half -past  eleven." 

"No  time  to  see  the  colonel  now!"  said 
Ennis.  "Major  Stannard,  I  Ve  got  to 
gallop  into  town,  but  a  dozen  men,  if  need 
be,  should  trail  that  sleigh." 

"Go  it,  boy,"  was  the  instant  answer, 
"and  I  'm  behind  you." 


X 


ON  the  principle  that  disaster  ever  de 
mands  its  victim,  the  sentry  of  the  second 
relief — the  immediate  predecessor  of  the 
soldier  now  on  post  at  the  north  line  of 
the  stables — was  stirred  up  at  once  and 
ordered  to  explain.  Even  as  Stannard 
was  hastening  the  movements  of  the  men 
detailed  to  mount  and  trail  the  Foster 
team,  even  as  Ennis  was  galloping  town- 
ward  on  a  mission  of  his  own,  Captain 
Langley,  of  the  Infantry,  officer-of-the- 
day,  began  his  stern  examination  of  the 
luckless  guardian. 

Orders  are  orders.  Even  a  stable  ser 
geant  could  not  take  or  send  an  animal 
out  at  night  (except  the  building  stood  in 
danger  of  destruction  by  flood,  fire,  or 
tornado)  save  on  written  order  of  a  com 
missioned  officer  and  in  presence  of  the 

155 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

corporal-of-the-guard,  and  Stoner,  the 
sentry  of  the  second  relief,  admitted  he 
knew  these  were  the  orders,  but  "the 
fellers"  had  never  supposed  they  applied 
to  Sergeant  Fitzroy,  who  did  pretty  much 
as  he  pleased.  In  fact,  Fitzroy  hitched 
up  and  drove  away  without  so  much  as  a 
word  to  him.  He,  the  sentry,  was  too 
little  surprised  to  think  of  ordering 
"Halt."  Even  as  Langley  drew  from 
him  the  admission,  the  word  came  up  that 
the  squad  had  started  hot  foot  on  the 
trail.  It  led  straight  away  to  town. 

And  the  stable  orderlies  had  sworn  that 
Fitzroy  started  alone.  Therefore,  unless 
Dora  Mayhew  had  circled  the  fort  and 
joined  him  on  the  bleak  eastward  prairie, 
it  was  most  unlikely  she  had  gone  with 
him,  and,  up  to  one  o'clock,  there  was 
none  to  hint  with  whom,  or  how,  except 
afoot,  she  could  have  gone.  Then,  how 
ever,  came  revelation.  The  sentry  sta 
tioned  at  the  northwest  face  of  the  post 
admitted  having  seen  "a  rig  from  town" 

156 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

making  wide  circuit  clear  around  behind 
the  fort  on  the  westward  "  bench, "  which 
was  swept  almost  clean  of  snow.  It  had 
kept  well  out  beyond  hailing  distance, 
stood  a  moment  or  two  up  at  the  edge  of 
the  bluff,  then  whirled  about  and  went 
the  way  it  came.  What  hour  was  this? 
Just  before  they  called  off  eleven  o'clock. 
Why  had  he  not  mentioned  or  reported  it? 
Well,  he  thought  it  might  have  been  some 
of  the  officers.  "They  sometimes  came  out 
late  and  went  in  home  the  back  way," 
whereat,  in  some  confusion,  Captain 
Langley  dropped  that  phase  of  the  inves 
tigation. 

By  two  o'clock  that  rig  also  had  been 
trailed  back  to  town,  where  it  was  lost  in 
the  tangle  of  wheel  tracks.  There  Ennis 
and  Field  and  several  troopers,  with  one 
or  two  interested  citizens,  were  in  quest 
of  tidings.  There  they  were  joined  by 
Mayhew  himself,  who  had  one  more  hope. 
Dora  had  a  friend,  a  few  years  older  than 
herself,  with  whom  she  had  been  intimate 

157 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

at  Fort  Eiley.  They  went  daily  to  school 
together  when  children,  and  wept  when 
parted.  Now  her  friend  was  married  to 
a  conductor  of  the  Union  Pacific  Bail- 
way,  and  living  in  town.  It  might  be  that 
Dora  had  gone  to  her. 

They  found  the  house,  and  hammered 
at  the  door  and  lower  windows,  and  suc 
ceeded  only  in  waking  a  Chinese  servant 
who  said,  "All  gone;  belong  Omaha, "  and 
refused  further  information.  They  went 
to  the  three  stables  in  town,  and  all  had 
"rigs"  out,  some  of  them  two  or  three. 
None,  to  the  proprietor's  knowledge,  had 
been  to  the  fort.  Most  of  them  had  gone 
to  a  dance  at  Arena,  a  cattle  town  six 
miles  east,  and  it  was  high  time  they  were 
returning,  for  now  it  was  after  three. 
"What 's  all  the  row  about  anyhow?" 
demanded  the  night  watchman  of  one  of 
these  establishments.  "There  was  that 
cockney  sergeant  fellow  here  along  about 
midnight,  asking  questions  and  raising 
hell.  The  town  marshal  had  a  rumpus 

158 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

with  him  and  went  to  bed  mad."  The 
half-dozen  hangers-on  about  the  railway 
station,  and  the  roisterers  at  the  one, 
open-all-night  saloon  were  growing  in 
quisitive,  if  not  impudent.  The  station- 
master  had  gone  home,  but  the  lone  opera 
tor  to  whom,  one  after  another,  Field, 
Ennis,  and  Mayhew  had  appealed,  de 
clared  that  no  young  lady  had  gone  on 
Number  Six,  for  the  reason  that  Number 
Six  hadn't  gone  and  wouldn't  go  till 
'long  toward  daylight.  She  broke  down 
somewhere  about  seven  o'clock  at  Medi 
cine  Bow. 

But  Ennis  and  Mayhew  came  at  him  a 
second  time,  with  a  second  question: 
Could  he  tell  them  anything  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Osborn,  Osborn  being  a  conductor 
and  Mrs.  Osborn  Dora's  friend  of  whom 
previous  mention  is  made?  Had  they 
gone  to  Omaha!  No,  for  Mr.  Osborn  was 
round  here  early  in  the  evening,  and  had 
to  be  here  at  six  o'clock  A.M.  to  meet  and 
take  Number  Five  over  the  Mountain 

159 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Division.  Then  John  Chinaman  had  lied, 
said  poor  Mayhew,  grieving  sore  and 
quite  ready  to  break  down,  but  Ennis  was 
spurred  to  new  energy. 

"Keep  your  heart,  old  man,"  said  he. 
' '  The  more  I  think  of  this,  the  more  I  'm 
sure  there  's  light  ahead,  and  I  'm  going 
after  it.  Go  to  the  hotel,  lie  down,  and 
leave  the  rest  to  me.'* 

And  still  Jim  Ennis  felt  by  no  means 
confident  he  could  be  in  time.  He  knew 
the  Mayhews  only  slightly.  He  had  never 
before  been  stationed  at  regimental  head 
quarters,  had  seen  and  known  Dora  only 
since  their  coming  to  Fort  Gushing,  and 
therefore  had  not  learned  to  share  Bob's 
honest  admiration  for  her.  She  might  be 
all  Bob  thought  her,  a  loving  child  and 
a  true-hearted  girl  in  spite  of  her  infatua 
tion  for  this  presentable  young  trooper 
whose  antecedents  nobody  knew.  Ennis 
had  often  marked  him  during  the  cam 
paign  and  noted  his  regard  for  Bob,  and 
felt  kindly  disposed  toward  him  until  mid 

160 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

September,  when  two  troops  were  sent  in 
to  Frayne,  with  the  pack  train  and  orders 
to  load  up  with  rations  and  escort  it  back. 
Eawdon  was  missing  from  the  column 
when  it  camped  the  first  night  out,  on  the 
return,  and  only  caught  them  by  a  daring 
night  ride  through  the  Sioux  country 
when  they  were  two  days'  march  beyond. 
His  captain,  Raymond,  had  sternly  re 
buked  him  and  promised  him  further  pun 
ishment  when  they  reached  the  regiment, 
but  Lanier  had  heard  of  it  and  interceded, 
thereby  making  Rawdon  still  more  his 
friend.  But  now  the  heart  of  "Dad" 
Ennis  was  hot  against  him,  for  fear  that 
what  Barker  said  might  all  be  true :  that 
Rawdon  had  wrecked  an  old  man's  heart 
and  home,  and  ruined  an  old  man's  be 
loved  daughter. 

With  just  two  troopers  at  his  back, 
toward  four  in  the  morning,  big  Jim  went 
spurring  on  through  the  dim  moonlight, 
town  and  station  far  behind,  following  a 
meandering  sleigh  and  wagon  track 

11  1G1 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

across  the  wide,  dreary  upland,  riding, 
as  a  rule,  parallel  with  the  railway,  while 
such  sleighs  as  tried  the  journey  had  evi 
dently  been  making  many  a  detour.  Snow 
there  was  in  abundance  in  the  coulees  and 
ravines,  snow  in  sheets  in  the  lee  of  every 
little  ridge  or  hummock,  but  elsewhere  the 
icy  sod  was  swept  hard  and  clean,  and 
the  sharp  hoofs  rang  as  though  they 
struck  macadam.  Three  miles  out  two 
"rigs"  were  passed,  westward  bound, 
filled  with  town  folk  who  had  been  to 
Arena  for  the  dance.  Had  they  seen  or 
heard  aught  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Osborn!  he 
asked.  No,  they  knew  them  well  by  sight, 
and  would  be  sure  to  note  them  had  they 
come  to  the  dance.  Five  miles  out  a  stage 
was  encountered,  loaded  with  exuberant 
revellers  who  had  remained  after  the 
dance  for  a  spree,  and  were  now  con 
sumed  with  wrath  because  certain  officers 
of  the  law  from  their  own  town,  too,  had 
hustled  them  out. 

"A  hull  sleighful  of  'em — three  or  four 

162 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

anyhow — came  over  there  with  that  cock 
ney  sergeant  yon  fellers  keep  at  the  fort, 
lookin'  for  deserters.  You  after  desert 
ers?  Well,  here  's — hie — hopin'  you  don't 
get  'em.'' 

It  was  all  Jim  Ennis  wanted  to  know. 
"Come  on,  men,"  he  cried,  and  spurred 
ahead,  his  wondering  troopers  following. 

"Now,  what  the  mischief  is  that  man 
Fitzroy's  game!"  thought  Ennis,  as  he 
pushed  on  through  the  bitter  cold  of  the 
December  morning.  It  had  not  been  diffi 
cult  to  learn  that  the  sergeant,  after  much 
search  and  inquiry  in  town,  had  started 
for  Arena,  taking  with  him,  as  it  hap 
pened,  two  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  police, 
who  had  business  there  and  were  tired  of 
waiting  for  the  train.  Ennis  reasoned  it 
was  after  Dora  that  Fitzroy  had  gone; 
that  in  his  jealous  misery  he  had  kept 
watch  upon  her,  had  followed  to  town  on 
hearing  of  her  flight,  had  followed 
further,  and  this  it  was  that  gave  Ennis 


163 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  hope  that  she  was  acompanied  by  such 
worthy  people  as  the  Osborns.  If  that 
were  so,  it  could  mean  but  one  thing.  It 
was  to  join  Eawdon,  perhaps  to  be  joined 
to  Eawdon.  Osborn  had  sent  two  mes 
sages  by  wire  and  received  two  early  in 
the  evening;  Ennis  had  learned  this 
through  the  operator,  though  the  contents 
were  withheld.  Eawdon,  probably,  dared 
not  come  to  Gushing  City.  There  he 
might  still  be  arrested  on  sight.  Yes. 
Ennis  had  it  now.  Dora  Mayhew  had  fled 
to  Arena  to  meet  and  marry  George 
Eawdon;  Fitzroy  had  followed  fast  in 
hopes  of  blocking  it. 

And  just  as  the  twinkling  switch-lights 
of  the  little  prairie  station  hove  in  sight 
ahead,  there  came  a  sound  that  startled 
him — the  whistle  of  a  railway  engine  not 
a  mile  behind — Number  Six  at  last,  and 
coming  full  tilt — the  very  train,  perhaps, 
that  they,  the  young  couple,  hoped  and 
meant  to  take,  and  might  have  taken  on 
their  eastward  way  had  not  Fitzroy,  keen- 

164 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

eyed,  quick-witted,  and  vengeful,  been 
there  in  time  to  bar  the  move. 

And  then  in  the  soldier  soul  of  big  Jim 
Ennis  was  born  a  strange,  sudden,  and 
somewhat  unprofessional  spirit  of  oppo 
sition.  Starting  out  in  the  hope  of  finding 
and  restoring  to  her  father's  roof  the  sor 
rowing  fugitive,  Jim  Ennis  veered  right 
round  to  the  purpose  of  succoring  a 
maiden  in  distress.  If  marriage  was 
Kawdon's  motive  in  bidding  her  join  him, 
then  Kawdon  was  honest  after  all,  and 
who  was  he  or  who  was  Fitzroy  to  stand 
in  the  way  and  stop  it1?  No,  by  all  the 
Arts  of  Peace  and  the  Articles  of  War, 

Eawdon  was  right  and  d be  the  man 

that  sought  to  check  him. 

Five  minutes  later,  with  the  big  engine 
and  train  coming  hissing  and  grinding  to 
a  stop  at  the  platform,  Ennis  sprang  from 
his  panting  horse,  tossed  the  reins  to  one 
trooper,  and,  followed  by  the  other,  shoul 
dered  his  way  through  a  little  knot  of 
staring  townsfolk  and  up  to  a  group  at 

165 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  edge  of  the  platform.  A  trim-built 
young  fellow  in  civilian  dress  was  strug 
gling  in  the  grasp  of  two  detectives;  a 
terrified  girl  was  clinging  to  his  arm, 
tears  streaming  down  her  face ;  a  clerical- 
looking,  elderly  stranger  was  expostu 
lating;  a  man  in  the  cap  and  dress  of  a 
railway  conductor  was  vehemently  argu 
ing  with  a  stocky  sergeant  of  cavalry,  who 
seemed  master  of  the  situation,  and 
greatly  enjoying  his  own  importance.  A 
pale-faced  young  woman,  whom  the  con 
ductor  of  Number  Six  addressed  as  Mrs. 
Osborn,  was  imploring  his  aid,  when,  to 
the  amaze  of  the  sergeant,  this  big  sub 
altern  in  boots  and  spurs  bulged  in 
between  him  and  Conductor  Osborn  and 
demanded  to  know  the  nature  of  the 
trouble. 

"I  Ve  run  down  this  man,  at  last,  sir," 
gulped  Fitzroy,  flustered,  but  making 
valiant  effort  at  control,  "as  you  see,  sir, 
only  in  the  nick  of  time." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Ennis,"  cried  Dora,  throwing 

166 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

herself  upon  him  and  clasping  his  arm, 
"Rawdon  has  done  no  wrong.  We  are 
married.  Here  are  our  friends  to  prove 
it.  Why  should  they  arrest  him?" 

"Colonel's  orders,  lieutenant.  Arrest 
him  wherever  found,"  said  Fitz  stoutly, 
"and  I  Ve  a  si — stage  here  to  take  him 
back." 

"On  charges  of  your  own  invention, 
Sergeant  Fitzroy,"  said  Ennis  icily,  "no 
one  of  which  you  '11  ever  prove.  Have 
you  any  warrant  for  this  man  ? ' ' — this  to 
the  detectives. 

"None,  sir.  The  sergeant  said  hevwas 
a  deserter,  running  off  with  the  doctor's 
daughter. ' ' 

"He  's  no  deserter.  He  *s  on  furlough 
by  order  of  General  Crook,  travelling,  I 
take  it,  with  his  own  wife,  and  unless  you 
want  to  burn  your  fingers  to  the  bone,  let 
go." 

"Then  lieutenant,"  burst  in  Fitzroy, 
"he  's  a  prisoner  by  order  of  Colonel 
Button " 

167 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Then  as  senior  officer  on  the  spot  I  '11 
take  charge  of  him;  also,  Sergeant  Fitz- 
roy,  of  you,  and  the  sleigh  you  feloniously 
made  way  with.  Stand  aside,  sir.  Now, 
gentlemen,  how  about  this  train!" 

"  Ordered  right  on,  lieutenant,  to  meet 
Number  Five  at  Beaver  Switch." 

"Then  it  's  a  case  of  all  aboard  for 
those  bound  eastward.  We  '11  hear  the 
rest  when  you  return  from  furlough, 
Bawdon" — for  now  the  young  man  was 
trying  to  speak  instead  of  seeking  to 
speed  away.  "I  did  my  best  to  be  in  time 
for  the  ceremony,  Mrs.  Bawdon,"  con 
tinued  Ennis,  gallant  and  impressive,  as 
he  swung  her  suddenly  aboard,  "but  with 
my  usual  luck  I  lost  the  chance  to  kiss  the 
bride." 

For  answer  she  quickly  turned,  flung 
her  arms  about  his  neck,  and  her  warm 
lips  swept  his  cheek.  "One  for  you,  Mr. 
Ennis,"  she  cried,  and  then  again,  "and 
this — for  Mr.  Lanier!" 


168 


XI 


FRIDAY  again,  and  late  in  the  day,  and 
Bob  Lanier's  arrest  lacked  but  a  few 
hours  of  its  first  full  week,  and  Bob  was 
in  bandages  and  bed  in  a  sunny  room  of 
the  hospital.  Ennis,  after  a  long  night  in 
saddle  and  a  short  "spat"  with  the 
colonel,  was  taking  a  much  needed  nap. 
Stannard  and  his  wife  had  gone  down  to 
Doctor  Mayhew's  to  meet  Mrs.  Osborn, 
who  had  come  to  spend  the  afternoon. 
Paymaster  Scott  was  up  and  about,  and, 
in  his  independent  way,  had  been  saying 
unrelishable  things  to  Button,  who  was 
in  most  peppery  frame  of  mind.  A  wire 
had  come  from  department  headquarters 
to  say  an  inspector  would  follow.  "In 
stead  of  ordering  a  general  court  to  try 
Lieutenant  Lanier,  they  have  ordered  a 
colonel  out  to  try  me,  by  gad!"  said  But- 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

ton.  "For  that 's  just  what  it  all 
amounts  to." 

And  of  all  colonels  to  investigate  mat 
ters  at  Gushing,  there  wasn't  one  in  the 
army  Button  would  not  rather  have  had 
than  the  very  one  who  was  coming — bluff, 
blunt,  rasping  old  Riggs,  best  known  to 
fame  and  Fort  Gushing,  as  " Black  Bill." 

"Why,"  said  Button,  to  Scott,  "this 
sending  one  field  officer  of  cavalry  to  sit 
in  judgment  on  the  official  deeds  of 
another  is  nothing  short  of — of  infamous, 
and  I  'm  amazed  at  Crook's  doing  it." 

"It  ain't  Crook,"  said  Scott,  not  with 
out  a  little  malicious  delight  in  Button's 
disgust.  "He  's  away  up  at  Washakie, 
and  of  course  his  adjutant  general  don't 
want  to  act  or  even  advise  until  he  knows 
all  about  it.  You  've  seen  fit  to  charge 
Lanier  with  all  manner  of  things,  and  I 
don't  wonder  headquarters  are  stag 
gered." 

"But — Bill  Eiggs — to  come  and  over 
haul  my  regiment,  when  it  's  notorious  he 

170 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

never  could  command  even  a  two -com 
pany  camp  without  having  everybody  by 
the  ears!  Such  men  aren't  fit  to  be 
inspectors!" 

Indeed,  there  was  much  to  warrant 
poor  Button's  disgust.  He  had  preferred 
most  serious  charges  against  Lanier.  He 
had  accused  him  of  quitting  camp  on  cam 
paign,  quitting  his  guard  in  garrison, 
quitting  his  quarters  when  in  arrest,  fail 
ing  to  quit  himself  of  a  money  obligation, 
drinking  and  consorting  with  enlisted 
men,  and  in  his  letter  of  transmittal  he 
had  intimated  that  there  were  other  mis 
deeds  he  might  yet  have  to  uncover.  All, 
said  Button,  on  the  information  of  vet 
eran  officers  and  sergeants  of  the  regi 
ment — notably  Captains  Curbit  and 
Snaffle,  Lieutenants  Crane  and  Trotter, 
Sergeants  Whaling  and  Fitzroy — and  now 
here  were  both  medical  officers,  both  of 
his  majors,,  two  of  his  best  captains,  seven 
of  his  subalterns,  and  nine-tenths  of  the 
women  folk  at  Fort  Cushing  taking  sides 

171 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

with  Lanier  and  issue  with  him — their 
colonel  and  commander.  And  here,  too, 
were  Lieutenant  and  Mrs.  Foster,  highly 
connected,  influential,  wealthy,  insisting 
that  his  most  active  and  important  wit 
ness,  the  unimpeachable  Sergeant  Fitz- 
roy,  had  corrupted  their  coachman,  run 
off  with  their  sleigh,  and  ruined  (this  was 
Mrs.  Foster)  their  horses. 

Foster,  first  lieutenant  of  Snaffle's 
troop,  seldom  on  speaking  terms  with  his 
captain,  had  discovered  the  deed  at  morn 
ing  stables  just  five  minutes  before  the 
aggrieved  sergeant  drove  in  with  the  miss 
ing  property  and  Lieutenant  Ennis  as 
escort.  Foster  was  in  a  fury  over  it,  the 
more  so  because  Fitzroy  had  maintained, 
respectfully  enough  but  most  stubbornly, 
that  the  circumstances  were  such  that  he 
felt  justified  in  making  immediate  use  of 
any  property  under  his  care  or  charge, 
that  he  would  explain  everything  to  his 
captain  and  the  colonel,  but  begged  to  be 
excused  in  the  lieutenant's  present  frame 

172 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

of  mind  from  arguing  the  matter  with 
him. 

And  the  story  Snaffle  told  Button 
before  Foster  could  reach  him  went  far 
to  strengthen  Fitzroy's  position.  Snaffle 
said  that  so  far  from  Fitzroy's  corrupting 
the  coachman,  the  boot  should  be  on  the 
other  foot,  were  Fitzroy  corruptible — 
that  Foster  would  find  his  coachman  a 
double-dyed  liar  when  he  came  to  the 
truth  of  that  runaway  the  night  of  the 
dance — that  Foster's  sleigh  and  carriage 
and  driving  horses  had  no  right  in  a  Gov 
ernment  stable  anyhow — were  only  there 
on  sufferance  (which  was  true,  for  Foster 
kept  saddlers  besides — all  the  law  allowed 
him) — and  that  under  the  circumstances, 
when,  as  was  well  known,  at  least  twenty 
officers  and  troopers  on  Government 
mounts  had  gone  forth  at  night  in  violation 
of  standing  orders,  without  the  command 
ing  officer's  knowledge  or  consent — all  on 
the  plea  of  rescuing  Mayhew's  daughter, 
Lieutenant  Foster  ought  to  be  ashamed 

173 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

of  himself  for  abusing  Fitzroy  for  taking 
the  sleigh  in  hopes  of  having  a  warm  nest 
to  fetch  the  poor  girl  home  in  as  soon 
as  he  'd  found  her.  '  <  Sure,  did  Mr.  Ennis 
expect  her  to  ride  back  on  his  cantle  on 
so  bitter  a  night!  Faith,  Fitzroy  was 
worth  the  whole  pack  of  'em  put  together, 
if  they  'd  only  let  him  alone. ' ' 

And  that,  at  nine  o'clock,  when  Ennis 
was  sent  for,  was  the  colonel's  way  of 
looking  at  it.  Moreover,  he  had  a  rasp 
up  his  sleeve  for  our  massive  young  friend 
on  half  a  dozen  other  counts. 

"In  point  of  fact,  Mr.  Ennis,  that  girl 
has  simply  fooled  the  whole  party  and 
is  probably  laughing  at  all  of  you.  A  girl 
that  will  run  away  without  a  word  or  line 
to  her  father,  and  marry  an  out-and-out 
adventurer — a  mere  nobody — has  neither 
heart  nor  head  anyhow.  And  now  you  Ve 
interfered  in  a  matter  of  discipline  just  as 
Mr.  Lanier  did,  and  I  gave  you  credit  for 
better  sense.  You  know  I  had  ordered 
that  fellow's  arrest." 

174 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Ennis  took  it  all,  all  this  and  more,  in 
grave  silence  and  subordination.  He 
would  have  gone  without  a  word,  but 
Button  would  not  so  have  it.  Button  de 
manded  his  reasons,  and  began  hitting 
back  before  Ennis  had  named  even  two. 
This  brought  on  the  "spat,"  as  Barker 
irreverently  described  it,  and  left  the 
colonel  in  no  judicial  mood  in  which  to 
see  Stannard,  Sumter,  and  others,  as  see 
them  he  had  to  in  course  of  the  day. 

But  flatly  he  swore  that  Sergeant  Fitz- 
roy  should  not  go  in  arrest.  It  was  only 
too  clear  they  sought  to  make  a  victim  of 
him. 

And  so  all  Fort  Gushing  seemed  in  tur 
moil  and  trouble  as  the  sun  of  the  23d 
went  out  and  " Black  Bill"  came  in,  yet 
that  sun  must  have  been  potent,  for  Mrs. 
Stannard 's  face,  as  homeward  she  sped, 
after  a  long  talk  with  Mrs.  0 shorn,  was 
radiant  with  sunshiny  smiles.  "  You  're 
not  to  know  anything  yet,  Luce,  at  least 
until  you  get  it  from  Doctor  Mayhew,  for 

175 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

you  never  could  keep  it,  and  for  a  week  at 
least  it  's  got  to  be  kept." 

"  Well,  one  thing  you  can  tell,"  said  the 
major,  "that  is,  if  you  know,  and  put  a 
stop  to  an  awful  amount  of  censure  that 
poor  girl 's  getting.  Why  did  she  leave 
no  word  for  her  father!" 

"Because  she  expected  to  be  home  in 
two  hours ; ' '  and  the  reader  can  judge  just 
how  full  and  satisfactory  must  that 
answer  have  been. 

But  were  matters  mending  for  Mr. 
Lanier?  was  the  question  still  troubling 
Mrs.  Stannard.  Neither  Kate  nor  Miriam 
had  she  seen  since  the  night  of  the  fire. 
Miriam  Arnold  was  confined  to  her  room. 
Kate  Sumter  would  not  leave  her,  and 
yet  over  these  two  devoted  friends  there 
still  hovered  a  spell.  The  mutual  trust 
and  faith  seemed  shaken.  The  old  con 
fidence  or  intimacy  was  gone. 

Now,  whatever  Mrs.  Osborn  had  told 
that  so  cheered  Mrs.  Stannard,  it  is  cer 
tain  the  latter  could  not  contain  herself 

176 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

long,  and  that,  even  as  the  major  was 
summoned,  toward  nine  of  the  evening,  to 
join  the  solemn  conclave  at  the  colonel's 
(where  by  this  time  Button  had  opened 
proceedings  by  giving  " Black  Bill"  the 
best  dinner  a  frontier  larder  and  cellar 
afforded),  she  bustled  over  to  the  Sum- 
ters',  was  delightedly  welcomed  by  her 
friend  and  neighbor,  whose  husband,  too, 
had  been  called  to  council,  and  presently 
these  two  sages  were  in  confidential  chat. 
To  them  presently  entered  the  captain, 
electric,  bristling.  He  wanted  the  bundle 
of  latest  newspapers.  They  had  not  half 
read  them,  and  Colonel  Button  was  all 
eagerness  to  see  some  articles  concerning 
the  campaign  about  which  Eiggs  had  been 
twitting  him — asking  him  whom  he  had 
subsidized  at  this  late  hour  to  rescue  his 
reputation,  etc.  Biggs  had  seen  three 
long,  well-written  letters  in  the  great 
New  York  Morning  Mail,  obviously  the 
work  of  a  correspondent  on  the  spot,  an 
eye-witness  to  the  scenes  he  had  de- 
is  177 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

scribed,  and  these  letters  refuted  the 
calumnies  recently  heaped  on  Button  and 
his  comrades — gave  him,  in  fact,  high 
praise  for  soldiership,  bravery,  energy, 
even  though  the  writer  owned  himself  by 
no  means  one  of  the  colonel's  circle,  if, 
indeed,  one  of  his  personal  friends  and 
admirers.  Only  the  Sumters,  at  Gushing, 
subscribed  for  the  Morning  Mall.  Riggs 
had  seen  the  paper  at  Omaha.  It  took  a 
search  of  some  minutes  before  even  the 
first  was  found.  Then  Sumter 's  eyes1 
danced  as  he  read,  and  Mrs.  Sumter  ex 
claimed  over  another,  and  for  the  first 
time  in  a  week  sounds  of  cheer  arose  in 
that  little  home.  Presently  Mrs.  Stan- 
nard  read  aloud  a  spirited,  stirring  para 
graph,  describing  a  dash  led  by  Lieuten 
ant  Lanier,  and  then  Sumter  made  a 
swoop  for  all  three  pages  and  said,  "The 
quicker  Button  can  see  these  the  sooner 
he  '11  come  to  his  senses,"  and  begging 
pardon  for  the  rudeness,  took  the  papers 
and  his  leave  and  almost  collided  with 

ITS 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Kate,  who  at  sound  of  the  name  and  the 
glad  ring  of  the  voices  had  crept  down 
stairs  for  the  news. 

And  so  she  had  to  come  in  and  see  Mrs. 
Stannard,  and  hear  some  few  at  least  of 
the  details  of  Dora  Mayhew's  romantic, 
runaway  marriage,  and  while  they  were 
being  told  tattoo  was  sounded,  and  then 
Mrs.  Stannard  asked  if  she  might  not 
creep  up-stairs  and  see  Miriam;  she 
thought  she  might  cheer  her  a  bit.  This 
left  mother  and  daughter  alone  together, 
and  again,  and  even  more  painfully,  Mrs. 
Sumter  noted  how  sad  and  unresponsive 
was  Kate  at  mention  of  Lanier. 

It  must  have  been  nearly  an  hour  later 
when  Sumter  came  hurriedly  in,  threw  his 
furs  off  in  the  hall,  and  with  troubled  face 
re-entered  the  parlor.  His  wife  rose  in 
stantly,  laid  her  head  upon  his  arm,  and 
asked,  "What  has  happened ?" 

"A  scene  the  like  of  which  I  never 
thought  to  hear  of  in  this  regiment.  We 
had  adjourned  to  the  office.  Snaffle  had 

179 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

been  drinking  a  bit  and  got  angered  and 
flustered  when  Riggs  cross-examined  him. 
One  thing  led  to  another,  and  finally  in 
exasperation  he  blurted  out,  'I  'm  sick  of 
being  called  the  accuser  of  Mr.  Lanier. 
By  God,  I  Ve  defended  him !  I  've  hidden 
worse  things  than  ever  I  told  you  yet,  and 
now  I  '11  stand  it  no  longer !  You  twit  me 
with  spying  and  slandering.  Then  by  all 
that 's  holy,  you  shall  say  here  and  now 
who  's  the  better  man.  'T  was  Lieutenant 
Lanier  himself  that  leapt  from  the  win 
dow  this  night  a  week  ago — the  back 
upper  window  of  Sumter's  quarters. 
That 's  how  his  hand  was  cut  and  torn, 
and  I  've  got  three  men  that  '11  swear  to 
it!'" 

He  broke  off  suddenly,  for  Kate  had 
turned,  flung  herself  from  the  room  and 
into  the  arms  of  Mrs.  Stannard.  One 
long  look  into  the  sorrowful  eyes  of  his 
wife,  and  Sumter  quickly  followed,  and 
drew  the  sobbing  girl  from  those  kind 
arms  into  his  own. 

180 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"My  child,  my  child,"  he  said,  "surely 
you  did  not  see  him?" 

"No !  No !  No !"  was  the  instant  answer. 
"No!"  again  she  sobbed. 

"Then  tell  me  what  it  means,  Kate, 
daughter.  It  is— I  demand  it ! " 

"Oh,  father,  father — it  was — it  was 
what  I  heard — when  she  screamed — and 
fell!" 

"What  did  you  hear?" 

"The  other  voice — his  voice.  It  said 
plainly,  *  Miriam,  hush!  Don't  you  know 
meT" 


XII 

"BoB,"  said  Mr.  Ennis,  sauntering  in 
to  his  comrade's  bedside  the  following 
morning,  "I  'm  instructed  to  pay  you  a 
kiss." 

Lanier's  bandaged  head  spun  on  the 
pillow.  He  had  but  one  girl  in  his  mind. 

"Wh — who?"  he  demanded. 

Ennis  threw  his  head  back  and  laughed. 
"Nine  times  out  of  ten  when  a  fellow  is 
asked,  'will  you  take  it  now  or  wait  till 
you  get  it?'  he  's  wise  to  take  it  now.  If 
I  'm  any  judge,  I  should  say  you  'd  better 
wait  till  you  can  get  it,  which  may  be  in 
less  than  a  week." 

"Ennis,  if  you  can  quit  being  an  ass 
long  enough  to  tell  me  what  you  mean, 
and  where  you  've  been,  I  '11  thank  you. 
If  you  can't,  I  wish  you  'd  get  out. 
Ugaslie!"  concluded  Bob,  with  a  lapse 
into  Apache  and  the  pillow. 

182 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Well,  it  probably  isn't  just  the  kiss 
you  were  thinking  of — no  more  was  when 
I  got  it — but,  Robert,  my  son  and  fellow 
soldier,  it  's  my  recorded  conviction  that 
the  most  enviable  member  of  the  regiment 
this  day  of  our  Lord  is  your  twin  trooper 
friend  Rawdon.  I  saw  him  off  on  his 
wedding  tour,  and  he  did  n't  have  on  your 
clothes. " 

Lanier's  head  popped  up  in  an  instant 

—the  one  visible  eye  all  eager  interest. 

"Where  were  they  married?    When  did 

they  get  off !   Was  Lowndes  there  ? ' '  were 

the  questions  that  flew  from  his  lips. 

"Arena.  On  Number  Six.  Don't 
know,"  was  the  categorical  answer. 
"Rawdon  brought  the  parson  out  from 
Omaha,  and  the  Osborns  gave  her  away. 
Of  Lowndes  I  Ve  seen  nothing  since  the 
night  you  staked  him  at  Laramie,  and 
what  I  Ve  heard  of  him  you  refused  to 
listen  to.  Of  that  callow  specimen  of 
the  effete  and  ultra-refined  Back  Bay  Dis 
trict  you  've  long  since  had  my  opinion. 
He  's  too  good  and  gentle  for  this 

183 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Western  world  of  ours,  Bob,  and  he  and 
his  shuddering  kinsfolk  suffer  too  much 
by  contamination " 

"Oh,  shut  up,  Dad!  His  people  did 
wire  him  that  his  mother  was  desperately 
ill.  They  merely  wanted  to  get  him  away 
from  the  campaign.  He'd  been  gambling, 
the  pesky  little  fool,  with  some  of  the 
Eawhide  crowd,  was  all  out  of  cash  and 
dared  not  tell  his  guardian.  That  's  all 
there  was  to  it.  Soon  's  he  gets  his  money 
he  '11  square  up— thought  perhaps  he  had, 
since  Eawdon  had  enough  to  marry  on. 
Lowndes  owed  him  ten  times  what  he 
owed  me,  I  reckon. ' ' 

To  them,  thus  engrossed  in  confidential 
chat,  there  suddenly  entered  the  two  doc 
tors.  "Black  Bill,"  the  inspector,  it 
seems,  had  given  notice  that  he  must 
needs  have  speech  with  the  culprit,  if  that 
bandaged,  blistered,  and  unprincipled 
young  man  were  in  condition  to  see  him. 
"  Black  Bill"  and  his  host  had  been  hav 
ing  a  night  of  it.  Button  was  in  high 

184 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

fettle  over  the  amazingly  truthful  and 
unlooked-for  articles  in  the  Mail,  and  as 
eager  to  know  and  reward  their  author 
as  he  had  been  to  apprehend  and  punish 
the  earlier  detractor.  Button  had  begun 
to  "wobble,"  as  Bill  expressed  it,  in  his 
spleen  against  Lanier  until  so  suddenly 
"  braced "  by  the  truculent  stand  of  Cap 
tain  Snaffle,  whose  half-drunken  words 
the  previous  night  were  by  this  time 
known  all  over  the  post. 

The  matter  was  now  in  the  hands  of 
Colonel  Kiggs,  however,  and  it  was  his  to 
determine  what  further  action  to  take. 
Snaffle  had  named  as  his  witness  Sergeant 
Fitzroy,  Private  Kelley  (who,  though 
drunk  on  duty,  had  not  been  so  drunk, 
said  Snaffle  and  Fitzroy,  that  he  could  not 
recognize  an  officer  when  he  saw  him), 
and  the  third  witness,  to  the  amaze  of 
Barker  and  the  derision  of  Ennis,  when 
told  of  it,  was  no  less  a  person  than  poor 
Tom  Eafferty,  Lanier 's  own  "striker" 
and  hitherto  devoted  henchman.  And  to 

185 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  consternation  of  Stannard,  Sumter, 
and  others,  Captain  Snaffle  had  been  able 
to  back  his  words.  Biggs  sent  for  the 
two  availables,  Fitzroy  and  Kelly,  and  the 
two  had  declared  they  could  not  be  mis 
taken;  that  they  had  heard  Miss  Arnold's 
scream,  followed  instantly  by  the  crash 
of  glass.  Fitzroy  admitted  that  he  was 
at  the  moment  at  Captain  Snaffle's  back 
door;  said  he  ran  round  to  the  Sumters' 
gate ;  that  he  distinctly  saw  the  figure  of 
a  man  in  a  soldier's  overcoat  and  fur  cap 
leaping  and  sliding  down  the  roof,  and 
that  a  moment  later  he  grappled  with  it  in 
the  dark  woodshed,  dropping  his  hold 
only  when  angrily  ordered  to  do  so,  the 
voice  adding  instantly,  "I  'm  Lieutenant 
Lanier."  Kelly  was  ready  to  swear  to 
practically  the  same  facts,  though  he 
"thought  there  was  two  of  them,"  which, 
under  the  circumstances,  was  not  to  be 
wondered  at.  Fitzroy  declared  that  a 
moment  later  Eafferty  rushed  to  the  spot, 
recognized  the  lieutenant,  and  by  him  was 

186 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

sternly  ordered  to  leave.  As  yet  Eafferty 
was  in  no  condition  to  affirm  or  deny.  The 
excitement  of  the  fire  had  brought  on  a 
relapse,  and  the  wild  Irishman  was  wilder 
than  ever,  "  raving-like, ' '  as  the  steward 
said,  in  the  big  post  hospital. 

And  these  statements,  presently,  did 
Colonel  Eiggs  lay  before  Lieutenant 
Lanier,  in  presence  of  Doctors  Larrabee 
and  Schuchardt,  as  well  as  Lieutenant 
Ennis.  "I've  known  you  three  years, 
young  sir,"  said  he,  "and  I  Ve  believed 
in  you  from  the  first.  I  have  reminded 
Sergeant  Fitzroy  of  his  previous  allega 
tions  against  Trooper  Eawdon,  as  to  the 
scuffle  and  assault,  and,  so  far  from  show 
ing  confusion,  Fitzroy  promptly  said, 
'Certainly,  that  took  place  barely  half  a 
minute  later  and  within  ten  yards  of  the 
spot.'  He  says  his  whole  idea  first  was 
to  drive  Eawdon  from  the  scene,  and  pre 
vent  his  finding  his  officer  in  so  humili 
ating  a  plight.  He  says  he  sought  in 
every  way  at  first  to  shield  the  lieutenant, 

187 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

but  when  all  these  other  facts  came  out 
about  the  cap,  the  clothing,  the  lieuten 
ant's  absence  from  his  quarters,  his  lacer 
ated  hand,  etc.,  there  was  no  help  for  it. 
He  finally  yielded  to  the  pressure  of  Cap 
tain  Snaffle's  questions  and  told  the  truth. 
Kelly  miserably  admitted  his  knowledge 
of  it  and  when  Rafferty  came  to  his 
senses,  he,  too,  was  to  be  catechised." 

"Now,  Mr.  Lanier,  there  's  the  situa 
tion.  Do  you  care  to  say  anything  to  me, 
or  would  you  prefer  to  take  counsel?" 

And  Bob  Lanier  leaning  on  his  elbow, 
looked  quietly  up  in  the  colonel's  bearded 
face  and  answered: 

"Colonel  Biggs,  I  reckon  both  those 
men  think  they  're  telling  the  truth,  and 
I  may  have  to  prove  they  're  not. ' ' 

"Do  you  mean — you  ivere  there?" 
queried  old  Riggs,  in  genuine  concern. 

"There,  sir?  Of  course  I  was  there — 
quick  as  I  could  get  there,  but  not  quick 
enough  by  any  manner  of  means." 

Riggs  looked  grave  indeed. 

188 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

' i  You  say  you  may  have  to  prove  it  was 
not  you.  Don't  you  'know  you  '11  have  to 
— if  these  witnesses  are  further  sus 
tained?" 

"  Fully,  sir,  and  when  my  need  is  known 
there  will  be  witnesses  for  the  defense. 
The  doctors  tell  me  Bafferty  may  not 
come  round  in  less  than  a  week.  When 
the  time  arrives  I  '11  be  ready." 

And  that  was  the  way  it  had  to  be  left. 
That  was  the  condition  of  affairs  when 
the  eighth,  and  final,  day  of  Lanier's  close 
arrest  arrived.  Longer  than  eight,  ac 
cording  to  law,  the  colonel  could  not  keep 
him  in.  Sooner  than  eight  more,  accord 
ing  to  Larrabee,  the  doctors  could  not  let 
him  out.  Yet  there  came  a  compromise 
and  a  change.  "The  idea  of  Bob  Lanier 
spending  Christmas  in  hospital!"  said 
Mrs.  Stannard.  It  was  not  to  be  thought 
of.  A  sunshiny  room  on  the  ground  floor  of 
the  major's  big  house  was  duly  prepared, 
and  thither  just  before  sunset  on  Christ 
mas  eve  our  young  soldier  was  piloted  by 

189 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Schuchardt  and  Ennis,  making  the  trip 
afoot  across  the  rearward  space,  yet  being 
remanded  to  a  huge  easy  chair  and  par 
tial  bandages  immediately  on  his  arrival. 

" Black  Bill,"  with  his  incomplete  re 
port,  had  gone  back  to  Omaha  to  further 
mystify  the  adjutant-general  and  to  eat 
his  Christmas  dinner.  The  order  for  the 
court-martial  hung  fire  until  the  prelim 
inary  investigation  could  be  concluded. 
Fort  Cushing  set  itself  to  enjoy  the  sweet 
festival  as  best  it  might,  while  such  a 
problem  remained  unsolved.  Veterinary 
Surgeon  Mayhew  had  taken  seven  days' 
leave,  an  eastbound  train,  and  at  three 
P.M.  the  day  before  Christmas  came  a  tele 
gram  from Arnold,  Esq.,  of  Standish 

Bay,  Massachusetts,  announcing  that  he 
would  leave  forthwith  for  the  West,  bring 
ing  his  sister  with  him.  The  Sumters  told 
Mrs.  Stannard,  and  she  told  Bob  Lanier. 

It  has  been  said  that  this  young  gentle 
man  was  an  outspoken  fellow,  with  a  hit- 
or-miss  way  of  saying  things  when  once 

190 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

his  mind  was  made  up,  and  by  this  time 
it  would  seem  he  had  made  up  his  mind. 

"Mrs.  Stannard,  if  you  think  a  girl 
could  stand  the  sight  of  such  a  Guy 
Fawkes  as  this,  I  would  give  much  to 
speak  ten  minutes  to  Miss  Miriam 
Arnold. " 

"You  're  not  a  Guy  Fawkes,"  said  Mrs. 
Stannard,  with  fluttering  heart.  "You  Ve 
lost  something  of  your  mustache  and  eye 
brows,  but  very  little  of  your  good  looks. 
Only " 

"Only  what  I" 

"Why,  it  's  going  to  be  so  much  harder 
to  see  her  now  than  it  was  before — before 
she — — "  and  Mrs.  Stannard  faltered. 

"Before  she  saw  me  playing  Saint 
Somebody  or  other  at  the  back  window, 
and  screamed?  Nobody  knows  I  heard  it 
except  you,  and  you  won't  tell.  More 
over,  it  isn't  about  that  that  I  have  to 
speak. ' ' 

Mrs.  Stannard 's  bonny  face  showed  in 
stant  disappointment. 

191 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

" There  's — there  's  another  matter," 
said  Bob,  with  trouble  in  his  tones. 

"I  so  hoped "  faltered  that  arch 

match-maker. 

"So  did  I,  Mrs.  Stannard,"  said  down 
right  Bob,  "but  not  with  charges  hang 
ing  over  my  head.  First  I  Ve  got  to  meet 
the  enemy. " 

And  yet  he  wished  to  see  and  speak 
with  Miriam,  who  not  once  had  set  foot 
out  of  doors  since  the  night  of  the  fire, 
whose  sweet  face  flamed  at  every  recur 
ring  thought  of  that  incident,  whose  self- 
betrayal  covered  her  with  shame  and  con 
fusion  indescribable,  who  would  give 
years  of  her  young  life  if  she  could  only 
escape  from  Fort  Gushing  and  hide  her 
self  a  thousand  miles  away.  But  not  until 
that  stern  puritanical  father  should  ar 
rive  was  leaving  to  be  thought  of.  A 
week  agone  and  the  tidings  of  his  coming 
would  have  filled  her  with  dread ;  now  she 
heard  them  with  relief.  Father  coming — 
and  Aunt  Agnes!  Aunt  Agnes,  who 

192 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

never  before  had  been  west  of  the  Hud 
son.  Aunt  Agnes,  whose  forebears  had 
warred  against  witchcraft  and  woodcraft, 
against  village  crones  and  forest  children, 
against  helpless  old  women  and  stealthy 
young  savages — all  without  mercy  when 
delivered  into  their  hands!  "Was  it  in 
partial  reparation  for  the  rapine,  the 
swindling,  and  stealing  dealt  out  by  her 
Pilgrim  forefathers  to  the  Indian  of  the 
East  that  Aunt  Agnes  had  become  the 
vehement  champion  of  the  Indian  of  the 
West?  President  of  a  famous  Peace 
Society  was  she,  and  secretary  of  the 
Standish  Branch  of  the  Friends  of  the 
Bed  Man,  a  race  whom  the  original  and 
redoubtable  Miles  had  spitted  and  skew 
ered  and  shot  without  stint  or  discrimina 
tion.  And  now  was  Aunt  Agnes  hasten 
ing  westward  with  her  brother,  to  reclaim 
their  one  ewe  lamb  from  the  wolf  pack  of 
the  wilds,  and  incidentally  to  see  for  her 
self  something  of  the  haunts  and  habits 
of  the  red  brother  in  whose  behalf,  these 

13  193 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

last  six  months,  her  voice  had  been  up 
lifted  time  and  again.  It  was  the  year  of 
a  great  Indian  war.  The  blood  of  hun 
dreds  of  our  soldiery  had  been  shed,  with 
out  protest  from  these  of  Puritan  stock, 
but  they  shuddered  at  thought  of  repri 
sals.  Aunt  Agnes  coming  to  Gushing! 
Aunt  Agnes  to  meet  the  colonel  and  his 
"red-handed  horde  of  ruthless  slayers!" 

No  wonder  the  Christmas  day  that 
dawned  for  Miriam  Arnold  in  that  stir 
ring  Centennial  year  bade  fair  to  be  the 
gloomiest  of  her  life.  Yet  who  can  tell 
what  a  day  may  bring  forth! 

Sumter  came  in,  cheery  and  laughing, 
for  the  late  family  breakfast.  Guard- 
mounting  was  long  over,  but  he  had  been 
detained  by  the  colonel. 

"It  is  almost  comical,"  said  he,  "to  see 
Button's  delight  in  those  letters  in  the 
New  York  papers.  He  's  as  curious  now 
to  know  the  author  of  those  as  he  was 
furious  at  the  supposed  author  of  the 
others." 

"What     others?"     faltered     Miriam 

194 


'Bur  Do  You  MEAN  COLONEL  BUTTON  'ACCUSED  >1«. .LANIF'R  61 
THOSE  LETTERS!"'      , 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

Arnold,  her  eyes  filling  with  strange 
apprehension,  her  face  visibly  paling. 

"Some  bitter  attacks  on  him  that  ap 
peared  in  the  Boston  and  Philadelphia 
papers  about  that  night  surprise  of  Lone 
Wolf's  village — the  one  he  accused  Mr. 
Lanier  of  having  started. ' ' 

'  *  Accused — Mr.  Lanier ! ' '  And  Miriam 
Arnold,  with  consternation  in  her  voice, 
was  half  rising  from  the  table. 

"I  had  thought  it  best  to  say  nothing  to 
you  about  it,  Miriam  dear,"  said  Mrs. 
Sumter  gently.  "You  had  so  many 
worries. ' ' 

"But  Mrs.  Surnter!  Captain!"  inter 
rupted  Miriam,  wild-eyed.  "Do  you  mean 
Colonel  Button  accused  Mr.  Lanier  of 
those  letters?" 

"That  was  the  backbone  of  his  griev 
ance  against  Lanier,"  said  Sumter 
gravely,  and  intently  studying  her  face. 
"Why?" 

"And  he  did  'nt— deny  it?  Didn't— 
tell  what  he  knew?" 

195 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Denied  it,  yes,  but  refused  to  tell  what 
he  knew — said  it  came  in  such  a  way  he 
could  not  tell.  Why,  Miriam,  what  do 
you  know?" 

For  a  moment  it  looked  as  though  she 
were  on  the  verge  of  hysterical  break 
down.  Kate  sprang  to  her  side  and  threw 
an  arm  around  her,  but  with  gallant  effort 
she  regained  self-control. 

"I  know  just  who  wrote  those  wicked 
stories,  and  I  told  Mr.  Lanier;  and  I 
know — and  I  'm  ashamed  I  ever  had  to 
know — who  first  told  them." 


XIII 

STANNARD  had  been  summoned  to 
Omaha,  much  to  Button's  curiosity  and 
disquiet.  Mrs.  Stannard,  left  temporarily 
widowed,  was  none  the  less  radiant.  A 
romance  was  unfolding  right  under  her 
roof,  and  the  heart  of  the  woman  was 
glad.  Her  patient  was  sitting  up  in  spick 
and  span  uniform  and  a  sunshiny  parlor. 
Plainly  furnished  as  were  the  frontier 
quarters  of  that  day  and  generation,  the 
room  looked  very  bright  and  cosey  this 
crisp  December  evening.  Christmas  had 
come  and  gone  with  but  faint  celebration, 
as  compared  with  former  years.  There 
had  been  several  callers,  masculine  and 
regimental,  during  the  earlier  afternoon, 
but  now  they  were  off  for  stables.  There 
had  been  an  influx  of  army  wives  and 
daughters,  to  wish  Bob  Lanier  many 

197 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

happy  returns,  for  this  was  his  birthday. 
Shrewd  woman,  with  all  her  gentle  kind 
liness  and  tact,  was  Mrs.  Stannard.  She 
had  sent  word  to  all  her  cronies  of  the 
interesting  event  and  suggested  a  call. 
More  significance,  therefore,  would  be 
attached  to  a  neglect  to  an  acceptance  of 
the  hint.  Perhaps  this  is  how  it  happened 
that  just  about  four  P.M.,  when  most 
people  were  gone,  Mrs.  Sumter  came 
quietly,  cheerily,  convoying  her  two  girls, 
and  presently  Bob  Lanier  was  smiling 
into  the  eyes  of  Miriam  Arnold,  whose 
hand  he  took  last  and  clung  to  longest  of 
the  three. 

Not  since  the  night  of  the  fire  had  he 
set  eyes  on  her.  Not  since  the  night  of 
the  dance  had  he  spoken  with  her,  and  he 
was  startled  to  see  the  change.  Bravely 
though  she  bore  herself,  the  flush  that 
mantled  her  cheek  was  but  momentary, 
and  left  her  pallid  and  wan.  Miriam 
looked  as  though  she  had  been  seriously 
ill.  Kate  Sumter  had  given  him  only 

198 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

hurried  and  almost  embarrassed  words  of 
greeting.  Mrs.  Sumter,  however,  had  ex 
tended  both  her  hands  in  an  impulse  of 
loyal  liking  and  friendship,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  Bob  even  saw  the  daughter's 
face.  Certanly  he  never  noted  the  lack  of 
heart  in  her  manner.  His  eyes  had  flitted 
almost  instantly  to  Miriam  Arnold's,  and 
there  they  hung.  A  few  minutes  of  swift, 
purposeless  chat  ensued,  Mrs.  Stannard 
and  Mrs.  Sumter  doing  most  of  it.  Then, 
somehow,  three  women  seemed  to  drift 
away  and  become  engrossed  in  matters  of 
their  own  over  by  the  Nava jo-covered 
lounge,  and  then  Miriam  lifted  up  her 
eyes  and  looked  one  moment  into  the 
young  soldier's  face. 

The  bandages  had  been  removed, 
though  his  left  hand  was  still  encased  in 
a  huge  white  kid  glove,  a  discard  from 
the  hand  of  Ennis.  Eyebrows  and  mus 
tache  had  suffered  much,  and  a  red  streak 
ran  from  the  left  temple  down  toward  the 
neck,  yet  Bob  looked  fit  and  debonair  and 

199 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

happy  in  spite  of  his  weight  of  martial 
woes. 

"It  's  the  first  chance  I  Ve  had  to  thank 
you  for  the  dance  we — did  n't  finish,"  said 
he,  noting  with  a  thrill  the  tremor  of  the 
little  hand  that  fluttered  for  that  moment 
in  his  grasp. 

'  '  Do  you  think  it  a  thing  to  be  thankful 
for?  I  don't." 

"I  wouldn't  have  lost  it  for  a  month's 
pay,  to  put  it  mildly,  and  it  will  take  more 
than  a  month's  pay  to  repair  later  dam 
ages,"  said  he,  trying  to  smile  and  be 
unsentimental. 

"How  very  much  more  than  that  you 
may  lose!"  said  she.  "Do  you  think  I 
could  have  danced  with  you  if  I  had 
dreamed  what — what  you  were  doing!" 

"You  were  dancing  like  a  dream,"  said 
he.  "Do  you  mean  I  was  dancing  like  a 
nightmare?  " 

"You  were  doing  what  was  sure  to 
involve   you   in   grave   trouble,   and — it 
wasn't  kind  to  me,  Mr.  Lanier." 
200 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"I  'm  all  contrition  for  the  anxiety  it 
caused  yon,  Miss  Miriam,  and  for  abso 
lutely  nothing  else.  I  wish  you  to  know 
that  I  did  nothing  unusual.  Colonel  But 
ton  was  angry  with  me  for  a  very  differ 
ent  matter." 

One  moment  she  was  silent;  then,  with 
lips  that  quivered  in  spite  of  her  effort — 
a  quiver  that  he  saw  and  that  set  his  heart 
to  bounding  madly — with  lowered  voice 
she  hurried  on:  "And  that,  too,  involves 
me,  or  mine.  And  you" — then  uplifting 
her  swimming  eyes — "you  would  not 
tell." 

And  then  the  barrier  of  his  pride  was 
swept  away. 

"Miriam!"  he  cried,  his  hands  eagerly 
seeking  and  seizing  hers,  only  faintly  re 
sisting.  "There  was  no  need  to  tell." 
He  was  standing  facing  her  now,  close  to 
the  curtained  window,  his  back  toward  the 
twittering  trio  near  the  dining-room  door 
and  imperceptibly  edging  thither  at  Mrs. 
Stannard's  suggestion  of  coffee.  Was 
201 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

this  prearranged?  Bob  never  saw  nor 
heeded.  She  did,  however,  and  well  knew 
its  meaning,  and  the  woman  in  her,  that 
thrilled  and  throbbed  at  sight  of  the  pas 
sion  in  his  eyes  the  worship  in  his  face 
coquetting  with  her  own  delight  would 
have  torn  herself  away  to  follow  them,  but 
her  little  hands  were  held  in  a  grasp 
against  which  she  might  struggle  in  vain. 
He  was  lifting  them  to  his  heart,  and  as 
he  drew  them  he  was  drawing  her.  She 
had  to  come,  her  long  curling  lashes 
sweeping  the  soft  cheeks,  now  once  more 
blushing  like  the  dawn.  "Oh,  Mr. 
Lanier,"  he  heard  her  murmur,  as  though 
pleading  and  warning.  One  swift  glance 
he  tossed  over  his  shoulder  at  the  last 
form  vanishing  through  the  doorway, 
then  his  dark  eyes,  glowing  and  rejoiceful, 
fastened  on  hers,  and  quick  and  fervent 
came  the  next  words :  "There  is  only  one 
tiling  that  need  be  told — that  must  be  told, 
because  I  Ve  just  been  brimming  over 


202 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

with  it  all  these  weeks"  (ah,  how  the 
bonny  head  was  drooping  now,  but  droop 
ing  toward  him),  "and  now  I  can  keep  it 
back  no  longer.  Miriam,  Miriam,  I  love 
you — I  love  you!  Have  you  nothing  to 
tell  me?" 

One  instant  of  thrilling  suspense,  then 
with  a  sob  welling  up  from  her  burdened 
heart,  the  barrier  of  her  pride  and  re 
serve  went  as  his  had  gone  a  moment  ago. 
"Oh,  you  know — you  know  it!  Who 
hasn't  known  it  since  that  awful  night?" 
she  cried,  and  then  found  herself  folded, 
weeping  uncontrollably,  almost  deliri 
ously,  in  his  arms,  his  lips  raining  kisses 
on  the  warm,  wet  cheek.  A  moment  he 
held  her  close-wrapped  to  his  heart,  then 
gradually,  yet  with  irresistible  power, 
turned  upward  the  tear-stained,  blushing, 
exquisite  face,  so  that  he  could  feast  his 
eyes  upon  her  beauty,  then  with  joy  un 
utterable,  his  lips  sank  upon  the  soft, 
quivering  mouth  in  the  first  love  kiss  she 


203 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

had  ever  known,  and  their  troubles  van 
ished  into  heaven  at  the  touch. 

Mrs.  Stannard,  you  were  a  jewel  and  a 
general.  Now,  how  about  the  major? 

"For  conference  with  the  Judge- Advo 
cate  of  the  Department,"  read  the  order 
that  summoned  him,  and  from  that  con 
ference  forth  went  our  doughty  dragoon 
in  search  of  conquest.  "It  is  under 
stood,"  said  the  officials,  "that  you  know 
the  circumstances  under  which  Lieutenant 
Lanier  became  responsible  for  the  money 
borrowed  at  Laramie  by  or  for  that  young 
Mr.  Lowndes,  also  that  you  know  him." 
There  were  other  matters,  but  that  came 
up  first.  Stannard  knew  and  was  quite 
willing  to  set  forth  with  a  plain-clothes 
member  of  the  Omaha  force  on  a  mission 
for  and  from  headquarters. 

In  a  derby  hat  and  civilian  suit  of  the 
fashion  of  '72,  the  latter  much  too  snug 
for  him,  our  squadron  leader  of  the 
Sioux  campaign  looked  little  like  a  trooper 

204 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

as  lie  sauntered  with  his  detective  com 
panion  into  the  lobby  of  the  Paxton  a  few 
minutes  later,  and  listened  to  his  modern 
ized  tale  of  the  prodigal  son.  It  was  all 
known  to  the  police.  Lowndes  had  run 
through  the  purse  and  patience  of  his 
Eastern  kindred  some  two  years  before. 
Lowndes  had  been  transported  to  a  cattle 
ranch  near  Fort  Gushing  in  hopes  of  per 
manent  benefit,  but  speedily  neglected  the 
range  for  the  more  congenial  society  of 
the  fort.  He  was  well  born  and  bred.  He 
was  made  free  at  first  at  the  mess,  but 
wore  out  his  welcome.  He  went  on  the 
campaign  for  excitement  and  got  much 
more  than  he  wanted.  He  took  to  gam 
bling  among  the  scouts  and  packers  and 
sergeants,  for  the  officers  had  soon  cold- 
shouldered  him.  But  he  was  a  college 
man,  a  secret  society  man,  as  had  been 
Lieutenant  Lanier  before  entering  the 
Point.  Since  the  campaign  Lowndes  had 
been  going  from  bad  to  worse;  had 
gambled  away  the  money  sent  him  by  his 

205 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

relatives,  and  they  were  now  sorely 
anxious  about  him.  Moreover,  he  was 
needed  as  a  material  witness  for  the 
defense  in  the  case  of  Lieutenant  Lanier, 
and  would  answer  no  letters  to  his  post- 
office  address.  He  hadn't  been  near  the 
ranch  in  nearly  a  month,  had  n't  been  seen 
about  Gushing  City  since  the  blizzard; 
was  believed  to  be  somewhere  in  this 
neighborhood  in  disguise. 

And  even  as  the  story  was  being  told, 
there  came  bounding  down  the  broad 
stairway  from  above,  a  slender,  well-built 
youth,  in  whom  the  civilization  of  the  East 
was  stamped  in  the  stylish,  trim-fitting 
travelling  suit  with  cap  to  match,  in  the 
further  items  of  natty  silken  scarf  and 
the  daintiest  of  hand  and  foot  covering. 
It  was  the  erect,  jaunty  carriage  that 
caught  the  major's  eye.  In  build,  bear 
ing,  and  gait  the  approaching  stranger 
was  Bob  Lanier  all  over.  He  came 
straight  toward  them,  and  was  tripping 
lightly,  swiftly  by  when  Stannard  sprang 
to  his  feet. 

206 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Rawdon!"  he  cried,  voice  and  manner 
at  once  betraying  the  soldier  and  the  habit 
of  authority  and  command.  It  was  as 
imperative  as  the  crisp,  curt  "Halt"  of 
veteran  sentry,  and  effective  as  though 
backed  by  levelled  bayonet. 

But  if  Stannard  for  an  instant  looked 
for  demur,  resistance,  attempt  to  avoid, 
or  even  a  trace  of  confusion  on  the  part  of 
this  transmogrified  trooper,  the  idea  as 
quickly  vanished.  A  wave  of  color,  it  is 
true,  swept  instantly  to  the  young  fellow's 
temples,  but  the  sudden  light  of  recogni 
tion  in  his  handsome  eyes  was  frank  and 
fearless.  Quickly  he  whirled  about,  cour 
teously  he  raised  his  cap,  instinctively  his 
heels  clicked  together  as  he  stood  atten 
tion  to  his  squadron  leader  of  the  summer 
agone. 

"I  beg  the  major's  pardon,"  said  he. 
"I  did  not  expect  him  here,  and  had  never 
seen  him  in  civilian  dress." 

And  now  the  detective,  too,  was  on  his 
feet,  and  curiously  noting  the  pair. 

"You  're  on  furlough  I  understand,  but 

207 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

I  heard — my  wife  said — you  were  in 
Chicago." 

"Mrs.  Stannard  was  right,  sir.  My 
wife  and  her  father  are  there  now,  visit 
ing  my  sister.  Doctor  Mayhew  told  me  of 
the  charges  against  Lieutenant  Lanier, 
and  that  is  what  brings  me  back  at  once." 

"Going  back  at  once?"  began  the 
major,  mollified,  yet  mystified.  "I  pre 
sume  you  know  more  of  these  matters 
than  any  one  else." 

"With  possibly  two  exceptions,  sir.  I 
hope  to  nab  one  of  them  here." 

"Lowndes?"  queried  Stannard. 

"Lowndes,"  answered  Eawdon. 

"Then  you  're  just  the  man  we  want." 

That  afternoon  as  the  Union  Pacific 
express  stood  ready  at  the  Union  station 
for  the  start,  there  boarded  one  of  the 
sleepers  a  burly,  thick-set,  bluff-mannered 
man  in  huge  fur  overcoat,  close  followed 
by  two  younger  companions.  One  of 
these  latter,  erect  and  graceful  in  bearing, 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

alert  and  quick  in  every  movement,  with 
clear-cut  and  handsome  features,  was 
dressed  with  care  and  taste,  evidently  a 
man  accustomed  to  metropolitan  scenes 
and  society;  the  other,  a  youth  of  prob 
ably  his  own  age,  though  looking  elder, 
was  sallow,  shabby,  with  a  dejected  down- 
at-the-heel  expression  to  his  entire  per 
sonality  that  told  infallibly  of  failure  and 
humiliation.  At  a  sign  from  their  leader 
he  dropped  dumbly  into  a  section,  settled 
himself  next  the  frosty  window,  with  his 
head  shrunk  down  in  his  worn  coat-col 
lar,  and  his  slouch  hat  pulled  over  his 
eyes. 

"Better  pull  off  that  overcoat  and  make 
yourself  comfortable,  Lowndes,"  said  the 
younger  man.  "You  Ve  a  long  journey 
ahead." 

Whereat  a  tall,  spare,  elderly  gentleman 
in  the  adjoining  section  slowly  lowered 
his  newspaper  and  turned  half  round, 
while  a  tall,  spare,  elderly,  sharp-featured 
woman  beside  him,  in  prim  travelling 

H  209 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

garb,  sprang  from  her  seat  and  brushing 
the  burly  man  aside,  precipitated  herself 
upon  the  shrinking  object  in  the  corner. 

"Mortimer  Watson  Lowndes!"  cried 
she.  "Where  on  earth  have  you  been?" 

For  answer  Mortimer  Watson  bowed 
his  flabby  face  in  his  hands  and  wept 
dismally. 

Two  days  later  the  colonel's  office  at 
Fort  Gushing  was  the  scene  of  a  some 
what  remarkable  trial.  It  had  no  force  in 
law,  yet  was  held  to  be  conclusive.  There 
was  no  array  of  uniformed  judges  sitting, 
by  order,  as  a  general  court-martial.  The 
tribunal  consisted,  in  point  of  fact,  of  a 
single  man,  acting  as  judge,  jury  and 
attorney,  to  wit,  "Black  Bill"  Eiggs,  In 
spector-General  of  the  Department  of  the 
Platte.  To  the  unspeakable  disgust  of 
most  of  the  officers,  and  the  outspoken 
disapprobation  of  many  of  their  wives, 
only  those  closely  concerned  in  or  con 
nected  with  the  case  were  invited  to  be 
present.  Certain  others  who  had  just 
210 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

happened  in,  thinking  to  hear  the  pro 
ceedings,  were,  indeed,  invited  to  leave. 

Colonel  Button,  as  post  commander 
and  principal  accuser,  was,  of  course, 
at  his  usual  desk.  Colonel  Biggs,  his 
jealously  regarded  rival,  was  seated  at 
a  little  table,  whereon  was  much  sta 
tionery  and  a  stack  of  memoranda.  Lieu 
tenant  Lanier,  somewhat  pale  but  entirely 
placid,  occupied  a  chair  to  the  left  of  that 
table,  with  Captain  Sumter,  as  his  troop 
commander  and  counsel,  by  his  side. 
Captain  Snaffle  was  in  support  of  the  post 
commander  to  cross-question  if  he  saw 
fit.  Barker,  the  adjutant,  was  present,  as 
a  matter  of  course.  A  headquarters 
clerk  sat  facing  Eiggs,  prepared  to  take 
notes,  and  the  trim  orderly  stood  outside 
the  closed  door.  Three  or  four  people  in 
civilian  garb  sat  awaiting  summons  in  the 
adjutant's  office  across  the  hall,  and  Ser 
geant  Fitzroy,  with  trouble  in  his  eyes 
and  wrath  in  his  heart,  was  flitting  un 
easily  about  in  the  domain  of  the  ser 
geant-major. 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"If  you  are  ready,  Colonel  Button/' 
began  Riggs,  with  elaborate  courtesy,  "I 
am,  and  let  me  briefly  say  that  I  have  seen 
Trooper  Rafferty  at  the  hospital,  also 
certain  other  men  named  by  Captain 
Snaffle;  but  in  order  that  all  parties  may 
be  given  opportunity  to  hear  and  to  ex 
amine,  and  at  the  request  of  Lieutenant 
Lanier,  who  desires  the  fullest  investiga 
tion  and  publicity,  I  have  invited  you  and 
the  captain  to  hear  what  I  consider  the 
really  valuable  evidence.  Will  you  call  in 
Trooper  Rawdon?" 

Snaffle's  face  was  a  sight  when  the  door 
opened  and  there  entered  a  very  self-pos 
sessed  young  man,  in  stylish  and  becom 
ing  civilian  dress,  who  nevertheless  stood 
bolt  upright,  with  his  hand  raised  in 
salute. 

"Hwat  's  he  mean  by  coming  here  in 
'cits'?"  said  Snaffle,  in  hoarse  whisper,  to 
his  commander. 

"Yes,  Colonel  Riggs;  if  this  man  's  a 
soldier,  why  isn't  he  in  uniform?" 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

With  perfect  respect,  at  a  nod  from 
Eiggs,  the  newcomer  replied:  "  My  uni 
forms,  and  other  belongings  of  mine,  were 
taken  from  my  trunk  in  town  during  my 
absence." 

"You  could  have  borrowed  one,"  said 
Snaffle  truculently. 

"I  told  him  he  need  not,"  retorted 
Eiggs.  "And  now,  gentlemen,  we'll 
waste  no  time  trying  to  worry  the  wit 
ness.  Mr.  Eawdon,  you  were  a  duly  en 
listed  trooper,  I  believe.  Take  that 
chair." 

"And  am  still,  sir,  as  far  as  I  know." 

"But  your  discharge  is  ordered,  as  I 
understand  it." 

"It  was  applied  for  and  recommended, 
and  General  Whipple  told  me  in  Chicago 
a  few  days  ago  it  was  settled;  but  that 
would  have  made  no  difference,  sir.  I 
should  have  been  proud  to  wear  the  uni 
form  until  officially  discharged." 

Eiggs  wheeled  in  his  chair.  "Colonel 
Button,  it  has  been  fully  explained  to  this 

213 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

— man,  and  to  the  next,  that  what  they  tell 
us  here  is  to  be  just  what  they  would 
swear  to  before  a  court.  You  can  decide 
for  yourself  on  hearing  it  whether  you 
wish  them  to  swear  to  it  or  not.  Now, 
Eawdon,  tell  us  how  you  came  to  enlist. " 

"As  the  representative  of  three  news 
papers,  in  Chicago  and  the  East.  They 
were  anxious  to  have  an  Indian  campaign, 
and  the  life  of  an  enlisted  man,  described 
as  it  really  was.  I  joined  a  squad  of  re 
cruits  for  this  regiment  right  after  the 
news  of  the  Crazy  Horse  Battle  on  Pow 
der  Biver." 

"Do  you  still  hold  that  job!" 

"No,  sir;"  and  there  was  a  twitch  of 
the  muscles  about  the  corners  of  the 
mouth  suggestive  of  amusement. 

"Why?" 

"I  failed  to — give  satisfaction.  Only 
scraps  of  my  letters  were  published." 

"What  did  they  want?" 

"Criticism  principally,  and  confirma 
tion  of  the  stories  of  abuse  and  ill  treat 
ment  of  soldiers  by  their  officers." 

214 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Were  your  letters  never  published ? ' ' 

"Three  of  them,  eventually,  after  the 
campaign — in  the  New  York  Morning 
Mail." 

Whereupon  Riggs  spun  in  his  chair  and 
rejoicefully  surveyed  Button,  who  sat  like 
a  man  in  a  daze,  staring,  opened-eyed,  at 
the  witness.  For  the  life  of  him  Sumter 
could  not  suppress  a  chuckle. 

"Then,  as  I  understand  it,  you  were 
favorably  impressed  with  the  life — and 
conditions  f ' ' 

"In  spite  of  hardship  and  privation, 
yes,  sir;  and  because  I  found  complete 
refutation  of  the  stories  about  the  officers, 
both  as  regarded  their  dealing  with  the 
Indians  and  with  their  own  men." 

"Were  there  any  persons  with  the  com 
mand  who  knew  you  and  your  mission!  " 

"Two,  sir,  as  it  turned  out.  Trooper 
Gary,  who  enlisted  at  the  same  time  I  did, 
and  a  civilian,  Mr.  Lowndes,  who  recog 
nized  us  at  Fort  Frayne.  We  were  at 
college  together.  He  and  Gary  became 
very  intimate  toward  the  last,  and  yet  I 

215 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

think  they  kept  my  secret  in  spite  of  our 
falling  out." 

"Do  you  care  to  tell  us  why  you  fell 
out?" 

"I  prefer  that  Mr.  Lowndes  should  do 
that.  He  and  Gary  had  been  chums  in  col 
lege  days,  and  though  we  were  in  the  same 
society  I  did  not  know  them  then  as  I  do 
now." 

"You  had  trouble  with  Sergeant  Fitz- 
roy  at  first,  did  you  not?" 

"Almost  from  the  start,  sir." 

"We  have  heard  his  version.  What  is 
yours?" 

Bawdon's  frank  face  clouded  and  col 
ored  one  moment,  but  the  eyes  never 
flinched. 

"It  was  partly  on  account  of  the  lady 
who  is  now  my  wife,  and  partly  on  ac 
count  of — money.  Fitzroy  is  an  out-and- 
out  usurer,  and  has  a  dozen  sergeants  in 
the  regiment  in  his  debt  and  under  his 
thumb,  Captain  Snaffle's  first  sergeant 
among  them." 

216 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

1  <  It 's  a  lie!  "said  Snaffle. 

"It  's  the  truth,"  said  Biggs,  "and  I 
have  other  proofs.  You  will  curb  your 
tongue  and  your  temper,  Captain  Snaffle, 
if  you  please.  Go  on,  Rawdon." 

"I  had  reason  to  believe  he  was  squeez 
ing  Doctor  Mayhew.  I  had  learned  to 
love  Mayhew 's  daughter.  I  had  a  little 
money  laid  by,  and  was  getting  a  good 
salary.  I  made  Doctor  Mayhew  take 
enough  to  free  himself,  and  won  Fitzroy's 
hate  on  both  accounts. " 

"You  are  accused  of  assaulting  him  the 
night  of  the  16th.  What  of  that !" 

"I  did  not  even  see  him  or  speak  to 
him.  I  had  been  in  town  in  the  afternoon, 
arranging  for  our  marriage.  Doctor  May- 
hew  would  not  hear  of  it  until  I  had  got 
my  discharge,  but  we  had  decided  to  be 
married  Saturday  morning,  and  to  go 
East  that  afternoon,  as  important  busi 
ness  called  me.  Mr.  Lowndes  will  tell 
you  that  he  owed  me  much  money.  I  had 
lost  my  position  as  correspondent,  needed 
sir 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

the  cash,  and  pressed  him  for  it.  He  had 
promised  faithfully  to  have  it  ready,  but 
ready  it  was  not.  I  knew  of  his  relatives 
in  Massachusetts  and  urged  him  to  tele 
graph,  but  he  said  he  could  get  some  of  it, 
at  least,  at  the  fort.  So  I  drove  him  and 
Gary  out  in  a  sleigh,  left  them  at  the  store, 
and,  circling  the  fort,  spent  two  hours 
with  Miss  Mayhew.  Then  getting  uneasy, 
as  they  did  not  come,  drove  round  back  to 
the  store  just  in  time  to  see  Lieutenant 
Foster's  sleigh  going  like  the  wind  to 
town,  and  found  Eafferty  in  frantic  ex 
citement.  He  said  there  was  hell  to  pay. 
The  lieutenant  was  in  arrest.  Lowndes 
and  Gary  had  run  away  with  some  of  his 
clothes.  There  'd  been  a  shindy  up  the 
row,  and  just  then  a  soldier  friend  came 
running.  'Skip  for  your  life,  Bawdon,' 
said  he.  '  There  's  been  robbery  at  Cap 
tain  Sumter's,  and  Sergeant  Fitzroy 
swears  it  was  you,  and  that  you  Ve  struck 
him  and  assaulted  him.  The  colonel 
orders  you  arrested  wherever  found.  The 

218 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

patrols  are  out  now ! '  There  was  no  time 
to  explain.  I  lashed  my  team  to  town, 
caught  Lowndes  in  cavalry  overcoat  and 
cap,  the  fool,  and  with  not  a  cent  to  his 
name.  I  gave  Gary  a  note  to  Miss  May- 
hew,  which  he  never  delivered,  and  took 
Lowndes  with  me  on  Number  Six  at 
11.40." 

"Then  you  were  not  at  Captain  Sum- 
ter's  that  night  ?" 

"Nowhere  near  it,  sir." 

Snaffle's  eyes  were  fairly  popping  from 
their  sockets.  Hadn't  he  said  all  along 
it  was  Lanier? 

"Now,  another  matter,"  continued 
Eiggs.  "That  night  at  Laramie  of  which 
you  told  me.  These  gentlemen  will  be 
interested." 

' '  There  was  nothing  remarkable  in  that. 
I  had  heard  of  the  same  thing  being  done 
at  West  Point.  I  heard  in  the  nick  of 
time  of  the  order  to  the  officer-of-the-day 
to  inspect  for  Lieutenant  Lanier.  I  imag 
ined  that  something  very  serious  would 

219 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

happen  to  him.  I  knew  he  'd  gone  to  the 
post  with  Lowndes,  and  why.  So,  with 
my  apologies  now  to  the  lieutenant,  I 
slipped  round  to  his  tent  and  into  his 
blankets." 

"Did  the  lieutenant  know  of  it — or  of 
the  reason!" 

"Never,  so  far  as  I  know.  I  doubt  if  he 
knows  it  now.  Lowndes  told  me  the  lieu 
tenant — before  he  entered  West  Point — 
was  a  member  of  our  fraternity.  That 
was  enough." 

"And  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,"  said 
Eiggs,  "that  is  enough.  Have  you  gen 
tlemen  any  questions  to  ask?" 

"Not — now,"  answered  Button  slowly. 
"But  I  desire  personally  to  see — the  wit 
ness — later." 


XIV 

ONE  more  witness  appeared  before  this 
informal  court  that  memorable  day,  and 
with  him,  as  prearranged,  the  tall,  elderly 
civilian  who  had  arrived  with  Stannard 
and  his  party  from  the  East.  Mr.  Arnold 
came  in,  hat  in  hand,  bowing  gravely  and 
profusely,  with  a  very  puzzled  look  in  his 
face. 

" Thank  you  for  coming,  Mr.  Arnold," 
said  Biggs,  with  bluff  civility.  "You 
have  met  these  gentlemen — Colonel  But 
ton,  Mr.  Barker,  Mr.  Lanier,  Captain 
Sumter."  He  pointedly  omitted  Snaffle, 
to  whom,  none  the  less,  Mr.  Arnold  bowed 
as  ceremoniously  as  to  each  of  the  others 
who  had  risen  at  his  entrance.  "Pray 
take  this  chair,  sir.  As  I  have  explained 
to  you,  Mr.  Lowndes,  your  nephew  could 
not  be  compelled  to  testify  before  a  mili- 
221 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

tary  court,  and  need  not  make  public 
admission  here  of  what  he  told  us  at 
Eawdon's  demand  during  our  journey 
hither.  I  hope  this  is  fully  understood." 

Mr.  Arnold  cleared  his  throat  and 
beamed  benevolently  about  him.  The 
occasion  seemed  propitious,  and  a  moral 
lesson  appropriate,  and  he  began: 

"My  unhappy  nephew  realizes,  with,  I 
trust,  genuine  contrition,  that  he  has  been 
the  cause  of  grave  trouble,  not  only  to  us, 
his  kindred  in  the  East,  but — er — to  you 
military  gentlemen  in  the  West.  He  has, 
prompted,  as  we  must  admit,  by  Mr. — Mr. 
Eawdon,  made  a  clean  breast  of  his  la 
mentable  conduct,  and  has  promised  Mr. 
Eawdon  to  repeat  every  word  of  it — er — 
to  Colonel  Button,  but,  as  his " 

"Then  we  '11  waste  no  time,"  said 
Eiggs  impatiently.  "  We  '11  have  him  in, 
and  I  can  catch  the  afternoon  train. 
Orderly,  call  Mr.  Lowndes." 

"Er — I  was  about  to  remark,"  pro- 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

ceeded  Mr.  Arnold,  "that  if  any — er — 
suit  for  damages,  or — er — recovery  of 
money  should  be  in  contemplation,  we 
desire " 

"Don't  fear,  sir.  Nobody  's  going  to 
sue  for  damages.  What  we  want  is  the 
quashing  of  all  charges  against  this 
young  gentleman,  who  has  been  made  to 
suffer  abominably.  Ah,  come  in,  Mr. 
Lowndes.  Sit  down,  sir.  You  have  met 
everybody  here.  Now,  as  speedily  as  pos 
sible,  we  '11  finish  this  matter,  and  in  four 
hours  we  '11  be  off  for  home." 

It  was  but  a  dejected  specimen  of  a 
college-bred  man  that  sank  into  the  chair 
in  front  of  Eiggs  and  faced  him  with 
pallid  cheek  and  somber  eyes.  One  look 
he  gave  at  Bob  Lanier,  a  furtive,  forlorn 
glance,  which  met  no  recognition  whatso 
ever.  Lanier  looked  him  over  with  indif 
ference  that  bordered  closely  on  con 
tempt,  but  gave  no  other  sign. 

"Mr.  Lowndes,"  said  Eiggs  abruptly, 
"there  is  no  need  of  going  over  the  entire 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

story.  I  '11  ask  you  to  answer  certain 
questions.  Who  was  your  earliest  friend 
in  this  regiment?" 

The  dreary  eyes  turned  once  more 
toward  Bob,  and  the  nervous  hands 
started  the  slouch  hat  in  swifter  revo 
lution. 

"Mr.  Lanier,  sir." 

"How  came  that?" 

"I  knew  he  was  of  my  college  fraternity 
before  I  entered  college,  and  I  showed 
him  my  pin  and  certificate. ' ' 

"That  insured  a  welcome,  I  suppose?" 

"Yes,  sir.  He — he  made  me  at  home  in 
his  quarters — and  tent." 

"Shared  the  best  he  had  with  you — 
home,  food,  drink,  even  clothes  and 
money,  I  'm  told." 

The  flush  deepened  in  the  dejected  face. 

"It  is  all  true,  sir." 

"Yet  you  quarrelled  with  him  during 
the  campaign." 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Why!" 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"I  lost  money  gambling,  and  he 
would  n't  lend  me  any  more." 

"Did  you  ever  pay  what  he  had  lent 
you?" 

"Not— yet,  sir." 

"Even  after  your  quarrel  did  he  not 
aid  you  ? ' ' 

"Yes,  at  Laramie.  I  did'nt  seem  to 
have  any  friend  left  by  that  time,  and  had 
to  go  to  him  for  help  when  they  wired  me 
to  come  home." 

"In  point  of  fact,  he  enabled  you  to  get 
one  hundred  dollars  at  Laramie?" 

"Yes.  I  gave  my  note  and  he  gave  his 
word." 

"What  did  you  do  with  the  money?" 

"Tried  to  win  back  some  that  I  had 
lost,  at  poker,  and  lost  most  of  what  I 
had  raised.  I  suppose  I  'd  have  lost  all 
of  it  if  Bawdon  hadn't  caught  me  play 
ing  and  pulled  me  out." 

"You  owed  him  still  more?" 

"Nearly  two  hundred  dollars,  sir." 

"Did  you  go  home?" 

15  235 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"I  couldn't;!  had  only  enough  to 
bring  me  to  Gushing,  and  they  wouldn't 
send  me  any  more.  I  had  to  go  to  the 
ranch  and  stay." 

"Did  you  try  to  earn  any  money?" 

"Yes,  sir,  writing  about  the  campaign. 
Eawdon  lost  his  position  because  he 
didn't  send  what  they  wanted,  so  I 
thought  I  might.  The  editor  did  n't  know 
me,  and  asked  for  references,  so  I  sent 
my  stories  to — to  Mr.  Arnold  and  my 
aunt.  She  often  wrote  for  the  papers." 

"Is  that  the  way  the  Boston  and  other 
papers  came  to  publish  those  scandals  at 
the  expense  of  Colonel  Button?" 

"She  dressed  them  up  a  good  deal  and 
made  it  worse  than  I  described,"  faltered 
Lowndes. 

"Er — let  me  explain,  gentlemen,"  in 
terposed  Mr.  Arnold,  who  had  been 
twitching  in  uneasiness.  "My  sister  is 
of  a  very  sympathetic  nature,  and  her 
heart  has  long  been  wrung  by  the  injus 
tice  meted  out  to  the  Indian.  When  this 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

unhappy  boy  wrote  those — er — descrip 
tive  letters  she  had  no  reason  to  doubt 
their  entire  truth.  Indeed,  her  conviction 
was  that  he  was  concealing,  or  glossing 
over,  worse  things." 

"He  seems  to  have  later  supplied  you 
with  worse  things,  Mr.  Arnold.  For  in 
stance,  I  will  ask  you  what  was  his  final 
explanation  of  his  need  for  money ?" 

"He  begged  me  to  send  him  two  hun 
dred  dollars  at  once,  saying  he  would  be 
disgraced  if  he  could  not  pay  Lieutenant 
Lanier,  who  had  won  it  from  him  at 
cards." 

"Mr.  Lowndes,"  said  Eiggs,  "did  Lieu 
tenant  Lanier  ever  win  a  dollar  from 
you!" 

"Never,  sir."  And  now  the  miserable 
head  went  down  into  the  hot  and  feverish 
hands,  and  the  silence  in  the  room  became 
something  oppressive. 

Biggs  let  him  rest  a  minute,  then  went 
on.  "Now,  then,  in  your  own  way,  tell  us 
what  happened  that  night  of  the  16th." 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

For  a  few  seconds  there  was  silence. 
Then,  suddenly  uplifting  his  head  and 
looking  at  no  one,  Lowndes  desperately 
plunged  into  his  narrative.  "I — I — was 
mad,  I  suppose,  with  debt  and  misery,  and 
I  began  to  drink.  Eawdon  told  me  he 
must  have  the  money.  My  uncle  had  flatly 
refused  to  send  me  more.  I  got  des 
perate.  There  was  left  me  only  one  way, 
and  that  was  through  my  cousin  Miriam. 
I  knew  she  was  out  here,  and  she — she 
had  always  been  my  best  friend  in  my 
troubles  at  home.  We  'd  almost  been 
brought  up  together  until  they  sent  me 
out  here.  She  did  n't  know  where  I  was. 
They  didn't  wish  her  to  know.  But  I 
knew  if  I  could  see  her  she  would  help 
me. 

" Eawdon  had  changed  into  citizen's 
clothes  in  town,  and  I  had  pawned  my 
overcoat,  so  he  lent  me  his  cavalry  over 
coat  and  a  fur  cap,  drove  me  and  Gary 
out  to  the  fort,  and  left  us  at  the  store, 
promising  to  join  him  at  Doctor  May- 

228 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

hew's  in  an  hour.  We  were  chilled  from 
the  ride,  and  drank  more.  Eafferty  told 
me  Mr.  Lanier  was  officer-of-the-guard, 
and  everybody  else  was  at  the  dance.  We 
filled  Eafferty  up,  for  Gary  'd  made  up  his 
mind  he  was  going  to  Eawdon's  wedding 
in  'cits'  instead  of  soldier  clothes,  and  he 
was  bent  on  borrowing  a  suit  of  Lieuten 
ant  Lanier 's,  even  though  they  would 
hardly  fit  him.  He  swore  he  'd  return 
them  the  next  day,  and  Eafferty  let  him 
have  them,  and  he  put  them  on  in  the  lieu 
tenant  's  back  room.  Then  he  and  I  went 
up  the  rear  fence  and  caught  sight  of 
Number  Five — Trooper  Kelly.  Gary 
knew  him  and  went  ahead  to  'fix  things' 
with  him,  as  he  said.  Kelly  had  seen  us 
come  out  of  Lieutenant  Lanier 's  back 
gate,  and  was  suspicious.  Gary,  to  quiet 
him,  told  him  he  was  with  Lieutenant 
Lanier — that  we  were  helping  Eawdon  get 
ready  for  his  wedding.  He  made  Kelly 
drink  to  Eawdon's  happiness,  and  drink 
three  or  four  times,  and  finally  left  him 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

with  a  half  full  flask  up  the  row  toward 
Major  Stannard's.  Then  we  went  to  Cap 
tain  Sumter's.  Kelly  told  Cary  the  ser 
vants  were  in  at  Captain  Snaffle's.  The 
door  was  open.  Cary  watched  below, 
while  I  hunted  for  my  cousin's  room.  I 
found  it  easily.  I  knew  they  had  sent  her 
money,  and  orders  to  come  home — uncle 
had  written  me  as  much.  I  found  her 
desk.  I  knew  it  well  of  old,  and  then,  to 
my  horror,  I  heard  her  voice,  and  in  a 
second  she  was  in  the  room.  She  gave 
one  awful  scream,  though  I  tore  off  my 
cap  and  begged  her  to  know  me,  but  she 
fell  in  a  faint.  Others  were  coming.  I 
broke  out  of  the  back  window,  slid  and 
scrambled  down  the  roof  to  the  shed  and 
so  to  the  ground.  I  heard  men  come  run 
ning,  so  I  dove  into  the  coal-shed,  where 
the  sergeant  grabbed  me  in  the  dark  and 
I — had  to  make  him  let  go,  and — said  I 
was  Lieutenant  Lanier.  Later  I  crawled 
through  a  hole  in  the  fence  and  started  for 
the  store,  scared  out  of  my  wits.  Eight 

230 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

at  the  next  gate  I  crashed  into  two  men, 
grappled  and  fighting.  We  all  three  fell 
in  a  heap.  I  picked  myself  and  cap  up 
and  ran  again;  caught  Gary  at  the  store 
just  jumping  into  a  sleigh,  and  we  lashed 
those  horses  every  inch  of  the  way,  left 
them  at  a  ranch  gate,  and  ran  to  the 
station.  The  train  was  a  few  minutes 
late.  Eawdon  presently  came,  and  he 
took  me  to  Omaha,  as  I  begged  him,  for  I 
did  n't  know  what  could  or  would  be  done 
to  me  if  I  was  caught.  He,  too,  had  to  get 
away  or  be  thrown  into  the  guard-house, 
and  that — that 's  about  all." 

"You  have  that  overcoat  with  you  yet, 
I  believe — that  cavalry  coat." 

"It 's  all  I  have  had  to  wear,  sir,"  was 
the  rueful  answer,  as,  rising,  he  took  the 
garment  from  the  arm  of  his  chair  and 
laid  it  upon  the  table,  with  the  yellow  lin 
ing  of  the  cape  thrown  back,  exposing  a 
rent  or  gash,  whereupon  Captain  Sumter 
arose,  took  from  an  envelope  a  sliver  of 
yellow  cloth,  and  fitted  it  into  the  gap. 

231 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"This,"  said  he,  "I  found  on  the  hook  of 
the  storm-sash,  and  this,"  he  continued, 
laying  beside  it  a  rusty  sheath  knife, 
"was  later  found  under  the  snow,  close 
under  the  dormer  window."  Then  turn 
ing  the  overcoat  inside  out,  he  displayed 
on  the  back  lining  in  stencil  the  name 
"Bawdon." 

"And  now,"  said  Biggs,  "we  will  hear 
the  accused." 

"It  isn't  necessary,"  began  Button, 
turning  in  his  chair.  "I  have  heard  more 
than  enough " 

"It  is  necessary,  Colonel  Button,  if  you 
please,  for  my  satisfaction  as  investiga 
tor.  Of  course  Mr.  Lanier  is  not  obliged 
to  speak,  but  a  few  matters  remain  to  be 
cleared  up.  There  is  yet  the  time-honored 
problem  of  'who  struck  Billy  Patter 
son,'  "  and  Button  subsided. 

"The  matter  is  quite  simple,"  said 
Lanier.  "I  went  direct  from  the  dancing 
room  to  my  quarters,  not  even  stopping 
for  my  overcoat.  I  was  chilled  when  I  got 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

there.  The  fire  was  low,  and  I  went  back 
to  call  Rafferty.  He  didn't  answer,  so  I 
had  to  lug  in  some  fuel.  His  overcoat 
hung  in  the  kitchen  and  I  put  that  on,  and 
just  as  I  opened  the  back  door  there  came 
the  scream  from  up  the  row.  Fire  was 
the  only  thing  I  thought  of,  and  I  saw 
others  running  toward  Captain  Sumter's 
as  I  started  from  the  back  gate.  Then  a 
man  rushed  past  me,  going  the  other  way, 
and  then  the  next  thing  somebody  sprang 
out  from  Captain  Snaffle's  back  yard, 
tripped  me,  and  I  went  headlong.  I  was 
on  my  feet  in  a  second,  but  he  had  me 
round  the  neck,  ordering  me  to  surrender. 
I  wrenched  loose  and  let  him  have  two 
hard  ones,  right  and  left,  before  he 
clinched  again.  Somebody  else  collided 
with  us.  "We  all  went  down.  The  last 
man  was  up  first  and  ran  away,  with  the 
first  cap  he  could  reach,  and  I  followed 
in  an  effort  to  overtake  him,  knowing  by 
that  time  it  wasn't  fire,  but  robbery. 
Then  when  I  realized  no  life  was  in 

233 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

danger,  I  remembered  I  was  in  arrest, 
dropped  the  chase,  and  went  straight  to 
my  quarters  the  way  I  came.  Both  hands 
were  bruised  and  left  badly  cut.  I  am 
sorry,  of  course,  to  have  struck  Sergeant 
Fitzroy,  but  the  language  he  used  was 
vile,  and  it  seemed  to  me  the  only  way  to 
convince  him  I  was  not  Trooper 
Bawdon." 

"Colonel  Button,  have  you  any  ques 
tions  to  ask?"  demanded  Biggs,  as  Lanier 
concluded. 

"Why  didn't  you  tell  me  this?"  de 
manded  Button. 

"I  should  have  been  glad  to,  colonel. 
Indeed,  I  tried  to  the  last  time  I  was  in 
the  office,"  was  the  deferential  reply. 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  said  the  colonel,  as 
a  parting  shot,  "between  us  we  seem  to 
have  stirred  up  a  pretty  kettle  of  fish." 
Yet  in  that  culinary  maelstrom  even 
Snaffle  disowned  either  responsibility  or 
complicity.  He  always  had  said  Lanier 
was  a  perfect  gentleman. 

234 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

And  so  ended  Bob's  arrest  and  most  of 
our  story.  Eiggs  went  back  with  his 
report  that  very  afternoon.  Eawdon  lin 
gered  for  a  word  with  Cassidy,  Quinlan, 
and  poor  remorseful  Bafferty;  then  fol 
lowed,  unhampered  even  by  his  arch 
enemy  Fitzroy,  who  slipped  away  to  the 
stables  three  minutes  after  the  close  of 
the  conference.  But  he  was  not  even 
there  when,  along  in  the  spring,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Eawdon  came  out  for  a  visit  to 
Doctor  Mayhew.  Like  Eawdon,  he  had 
received  his  discharge.  Unlike  Eawdon, 
there  was  serious  objection  to  his  reenlist- 
ment.  Even  Snaffle  dare  not  "take  him 
on"  again. 

The  snows  lay  long  and  deep  in  the 
ravines  and  hollows.  It  was  not  until 
mid-May  that  the  poor  victims  of  the 
blast  and  blinding  storm  were  uncovered, 
and  the  bodies  of  the  missing  were  found, 
save  that  of  Gary — Gary,  who,  having 
been  given  up  for  lost,  turned  up  most 
unexpectedly  the  very  day  that  Fitzroy, 

235 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

applicant  for  reenlistment,  was  sum 
marily  turned  down.  But  Gary  came  not 
of  his  own  volition.  He  marched  with  a 
file  of  the  guard.  Gary's  story  was 
simple  enough.  Eawdon  and  Lowndes 
had  hardly  got  away  on  the  train  when 
Sergeant  Stowell  and  his  party  came 
searching.  Gary  hid.  He  was  still  half 
drunk.  Some  one  told  him  of  Kelly's 
arrest,  and  charged  him  with  that  and 
with  running  off  the  Fosters'  sleigh.  He 
dared  not  face  the  music.  He  forgot  his 
precious  missive  to  Dora  Mayhew  until 
next  day.  Then  the  storm  held  him.  Not 
until  the  fire  night  did  he  summon  up 
courage  to  sneak  home.  He  had  no  money 
left  and  could  buy  no  more  liquor.  He 
stole  into  Lanier's  back  door  to  return 
the  civilian  suit  and  recover  the  cavalry 
blouse  and  trousers  left  hanging  in  Raf- 
ferty's  room.  He  could  hear  the  lieuten 
ant  moving  about  overhead.  He  had  to 
strike  a  light ;  he  struck  several  matches ; 
found  the  clothes,  slipped  out  of  the 

236 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"cits"  and  into  Ms  own.  He  was  cold 
and  numb.  He  knew  there  was  liquor  on 
the  sideboard  in  the  middle  room.  The 
craze  was  on  him,  and  he  risked  it.  He 
struck  more  matches  and  threw  the  burn 
ing  stumps  to  the  floor,  drank  his  fill,  then 
stumbled  away,  intending  to  give  himself 
up  to  his  first  sergeant  for  absence  with 
out  leave.  Back  round  by  way  of  the 
store  and  the  east  front  he  went,  but 
before  he  could  reach  the  barracks  came 
the  appalling  cry  of  fire — Lanier's  quar 
ters  !  His  doing  beyond  doubt,  and  now, 
in  dismay  and  terror,  he  fled  from  the 
post.  Some  ranch  folk  took  him  in  next 
day,  and  cared  for  him  awhile,  then  sent 
word  to  the  fort.  Poor  Gary  had  Lanier 
to  plead  for  him  before  his  trial,  but 
three  months'  hard  labor  was  the  least  the 
law  would  allow.  He  was  still  "  doing 
time"  when  his  happier  friend  of  college 
days  came  back  with  his  sweet  young 
wife. 

By  which  time,  too,  another  wedding 

237 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

was  announced  as  near  at  hand.  Only 
two  days  did  Mr.  Arnold  and  Aunt  Agnes 
allow  Miriam  in  which  to  prepare  for  the 
homeward  journey,  but  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  in  that  brief  time  their  views  of 
frontier  life  and  people  had  undergone 
marked  amendment,  for  they  had  found 
an  old  expounder  of  their  faith  in  the 
post  chaplain,  for  one  thing,  and  many 
surprising  facts  as  to  officers,  men,  and 
Indians  for  another.  There  came  a  bright 
wintry  afternoon,  at  the  fag  end  of  the 
year,  when  the  station  platform  held  a 
lively  little  assembly  waiting  for  the  east- 
bound  express.  The  colonel  and  his  wife 
were  there,  the  former  by  no  means  the 
blood-thirsty  warrior  of  the  elder's  imag 
ination.  The  Stannards  had  come  in,  and 
the  Sumters,  Kate,  and  "  Dad "  Ennis,  the 
chaplain,  and  both  doctors,  and  all  these 
surrounded  the  brother  and  sister  and 
held  them  in  cheery  converse,  while  Bob 
and  Miriam  sauntered,  self-centred, 
away. 

238 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

There  was  a  sheltered,  sunshiny  little 
nook  down  the  platform,  between  the  bag 
gage  and  express  sheds,  with  a  high, 
board  fence  at  the  back,  to  keep  off  the 
north  wind  and  human  intruders.  They 
passed  it  twice  in  their  stroll,  but  the 
third  time  turned  in — it  was  so  good  to 
get  out  of  the  piercing  wind — as  well  as 
out  of  sight. 

What  wonders  a  few  days  of  delight 
will  do  for  a  girl !  The  pallor  and  lassi 
tude  had  gone.  The  soft  eyes  were  brim 
ming  with  bliss.  The  rounded  cheeks  had 
regained  all  their  bloom.  The  sweet, 
rosebud  mouth  seemed  all  smiles  and 
warmth  and  witchery,  and  Lanier's  eyes 
were  glowing  as  he  drew  her  to  his  heart 
and  gazed  down  into  the  depths  of  those 
uplifted  to  his. 

"That  brute  of  a  train  has  been  late 
for  a  week,"  said  he,  "but  to-day  it  comes 
on  time.  It  is  going  to  be  a  long,  long 
wait  for  May.  How  does  papa  seem  to 
take  it  now?" 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

"Papa  is  quick  to  make  amends  when 
lie  has  wronged — any  one,  and  now  he 
knows." 

"Well,  so  does  Aunt  Agnes,  Miriam, 
yet  she  doesn't  approve." 

"Well,  Aunt  Agnes,  don't  you  know — 
she  's  different.  She  's  a  good  deal  like 
other  women  I  know.  When  she  's  placed 
somebody  else  in  a  false  position,  she 
thinks  that  person  ought  to  be  very  sorry 
for  her,  and  sympathize  with  her,  for  hav 
ing  been  deceived  and  misled.  She  thinks 
you  ought  to  say  how  sorry  you  are." 

"How  can  I  say  I  'm  sorry  when  I  'm 
so  glad— all  glad?" 

"Well,  then,  there  's  Cousin  Watson, 
don't  you  know?  He  was  always  her  pet. 
He  was  brought  up  by  a  weak  mother  and 
a  doting  aunt,  and  she  knows  you  don't 
approve  of  him." 

"Does  she  expect  a  man  to  approve  of 
one  who  maligned  him  as  Lowndes  ma 
ligned  me?" 

"You   should   see  his   earlier   letters 

540 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

about  you !  Why,  if  I  'd  known  anything 
of  them  I  would  never  dared  to  meet  such 
a  paragon." 

"And  yet,  after  all,  he  turned  to  and 
painted  me  black  as  an  imp  of  Satan. 
What  had  I  done  but  good  to  him?  I 
never  took  or  won  a  penny  of  his." 

A  moment  of  silence,  then  the  fond  eyes 
looked  up. 

"You  won  something  he  wanted  and 
thought — was  his — he  never  had  any 
sense.  Won't  you  try  to  forgive  him — for 
my  sake — Bob!" 

His  arms  went  round  and  folded  her 
closely;  his  face  bowed  down  to  hers. 
There  was  a  worldless  moment,  then  the 
sound  of  a  distant  whistle,  of  nearer 
shouts  of  "T-r-a-i-n."  The  dark  mus 
tache,  the  unsinged  side,  was  sweeping 
very,  very  near  the  soft  curve  of  those 
parted  lips. 

"What  ransom  will  you  pay!"  he  mur 
mured.  "I  've  not  yet  felt  these  arms 
about  my  neck.  I  Ve  kissed  you,  heaven 

16  241 


LANIER  OF  THE  CAVALRY 

be  praised,  but,  Miriam,  have  you  ever 
kissed  me?" 

"T-r-a-i-n!  Train,  train!  You'll  be 
left!"  again  came  the  shrill  feminine 
appeals,  and  with  them,  approaching, 
unwelcome,  unheeded  footfalls.  With 
sudden,  impulsive  movement  she  threw 
her  arms  about  his  neck  and  upraised  her 
lips  to  his.  One  moment  of  silence,  two 
seconds  of  bliss,  then  "Dad"  Ennis's 
voice,  barely  a  dozen  yards  away:  "Come 
forth  into  the  light,  you  wanderers!" 
There  was  barely  time  for  Bob's  fervent 
words : 

"If  I  couldn't  forgive  him  after  that, 
I  'd  deserve  a  dozen  weeks'  arrest." 


THE   END. 


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THE  DASHING  NOVEL 

THE 

COLONEL 

OF  THE 

RED  HUZZARS 

By 
JOHN  REED  SCOTT 

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of  sword  and  wit,  fill  the  pages  of  this  story.  The  plot  is 
built  upon  a  wager  between  Major  Dalberg,  U.  S.  A.,  and 
a  friend  that  within  a  certain  time  both  would  be  dining 
with  the  king  and  dancing  with  the  princess  royal  of  Va 
leria.  Strangely  enough,  Dalberg  proves  to  be  of  the  blood 
royal  of  Valeria,  is  reinstated  into  his  ancestral  rights,  and 
when  matters  are  about  to  reach  a  climax,  the  pretender 
steps  in,  and  there  ensues  an  encounter  between  American 
pluck  and  unscrupulous  cleverness. 

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that  it  comes  like  a  mountain  breeze  across  the  far-spreading  desert  of 
similar  romances."— Gazette-Times ,  Pittsburg, 

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BEAU   BROCADE 

By       BARONESS       O  R   C  Z    Y 

Author  of  "  The    Scarlet    Pimpernel"    "I  Will  Repay,"   etc. 


A  captivating  romance  of  love  and  chivalry — the 
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of  the  English  Pretender. 

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nothing  is  a  hardship  for  him.  He  reminds  one  of  Dumas's 
famous  D'Artagnan,  and  most  especially  in  his  righting 
escapades.  Gloriously  dramatic  is  the  fight  in  the  forge, 
when,  by  his  prowess,  Beau  Brocade  holds  at  bay  a  lot  of 
redcoats,  escaping  on  his  steed  4  Jack  O'Lantern.'  " 

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A  New  Romance  Teeming  witb  Love  and  Adventure 

BEATRIX 
OF   CLARE 

By  JOHN  REED  SCOTT 

Whose  "Colonel  of  the  Red  Huzzars"    (Eleven  Editions)    captured 
first  place  as  1906*8  most  dashing  novel. 

England  in  the  time  of  Richard  III  forms  the 
setting  for  this  tale  of  romance  and  adventure,  which 
takes  place  close  about  the  throne.  Beatrix,  beauty, 
heiress,  and  Countess  of  Clare,  is  won  by  the  young 
knight  and  courtier,  De  Lacy,  beneath  the  friendly 
smiles  of  both  king  and  queen,  while  their  love  affair 
is  troubled  by  abduction  and  bloodshed,  and  influenced 
by  the  great  events  which  stir  the  kingdom  and  even 
threaten  the  crown.  The  novel  is  full  of  "  go " 
from  start  to  finish. 


"Not  a  dull  line  in 
the  book.'* 
Pitttburg  Dispatch. 


"  The  story  is  ennobling  as 
well  as  bright  and  fascinat 
ing."  Baltimore  Sun. 


"Holds  the  interest 
closely  to  the  end." 
Boston  Ev.  Tranicrift 


"  Noteworthy  as  a  real  contribution  to  historical 
romance."      San  Francisco  Chronicle. 

FOUR  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR  BY 
CLARENCE  F.  UNDERWOOD. 

iimo.     Cloth,  £1.50. 


J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  PHILADELPHIA 


BREAKERS 
AHEAD 


NEW   AMERICAN   NOVEL 


of  love  and  plot,  full  of  excitement  and  incident,  by 

A.  MAYNARD  BARBOUR 

AUTHOR  OF 
"That  Mainwaring  Affair"  (12  editions) 

"At  the  Time  Appointed  "  (10  editions) 

"Mac"  Denning  is  a  man  of  great  force  of 
character,  resourceful,  clever,  and  attractive,  but 
very  selfish.  He  accumulates  a  large  fortune  in 
mines  and  banking,  but  still  he  is  not  happy,  for 
he  can  not  throw  off  the  memory  of  the  wife  he 
had  deserted  because  of  her  inferior  social  posi 
tion.  The  latter  part  of  the  story  is  full  of 
dramatic  incidents,  when  an  attractive  widow 
with  a  lovable  little  daughter,  and  his  son,  whom 
he  has  never  seen,  appear  on  the  scene. 

"  A  novel  to  stir  the  pulse  of  the  most  blas£  reader  of  fiction." — Boston 
Herald. 

"Full  of  action  and  with  a  remarkably  effective  ending." — Record- 
Herald,  Chicago. 

"  Constantly  grows  in  interest  as  it  progresses  and  in  its  concluding 
chapters  becomes  so  tense  that  it  leaves  the  reader  no  option  but  to  finish 
it  before  putting  it  down."— Evening  Telegraph,  Philadelphia. 

Frontispiece  in  colors,  by  James  L.  Wood 
12mo.    Decorated  cloth,  $1.50 


J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

PHILADELPHIA 


VANITY 
SQUARE 

A.  novel  of 

Fifth  Avenue  Life 

By 
Edgar  Saltxis 

AtitHor  of 

"A    Transaction     in    Hearts,"    "  THe    Perfume 
of  Eros,"  etc. 

GERALD  UXHILL  had  everything  that  t  man  is  sup 
posed  to  need  to  make  him  perfectly  happy — wealth, 
social  position,  a  beautiful  home,  a  charming  wife,  and 
a  dear  little  daughter — yet  a  longing  for  something,  he  knew 
not  what,  possessed  him.    The  story  tells  of  a  strange  experi 
ence  that  comes  to  him  and  almost  miraculously  reveals  the 
true  value  of  his  greatest  possession — the  love  and  devotion  of 
his  wife — and  brings  contentment, 

"A  smart  and  interesting  story." — Saturday  Times,  New  Tork. 

"A  striking  story,  full  of  dramatic  passage*  and  with  more  than  one 
thrill  to  it." — Philadelphia  Press. 

"A  remarkable  story  in  more  senses  than  one.  If  you  are  in  quest  of 
something  entirely  original;  something  that  will  furnish  food  for  thought, 
by  all  means  read  '  Vanity  Square. '  ' ' — Index,  Pittsburg. 

12  mo.    Decorated  Cloth,  $1 .25 
J.  B.  Lippincott  Company,  Philadelphia 


BY  THE  BARONESS  ORCZY 

"I  WILL  REPAY" 

A  Romance  of  the  French  Revolution 

I2mo.    Decorated  Cloth,  $1.50 


THIS  period  of  the  great  French  Revolution  appeals 
to  the  imagination  in  a  way  that  no  other  historic 
event  does.  It  was  so  very  terrible  and  yet  so 
very  recent.  The  Baroness  Orczy's  story  deals  with 
the  most  stirring  moment  of  that  exciting  time — when 
the  ' '  Law  of  the  Suspect ' '  was  in  full  force,  which 
gave  every  French  man  or  woman  the  right  to  denounce 
a  fellow  man  or  woman  to  that  awful  tribunal  of  the 
Revolution  which  knew  neither  mercy  nor  justice.  The 
romance  of  "I  Will  Repay"  is  concerned  with  the 
tragedy  of  a  soul-conflict  'twixt  love  and  a  mistaken 
sense  of  duty.  The  Scarlet  Pimpernel,  of  her  former 
book  of  this  tide,  plays  an  important  part  in  the  devel 
opment  of  the  story  of  "  I  Will  Repay. '  * 

"  A  good  story  of  action,  admirably  told." 

— Press,  Philadelphia. 

"  It  will  be  read  eagerly,  closed  with  a  long  satis 
fied  sigh. ' '  — Nashville  American. 

"Clever and  well  worked  out,  its  details  related 
with  dash  and  spirit,  its  intrigue  and  devices  adroitly 
managed."  — Sun,  New  York. 

"The  story  is  well  written,  is  full  of  incident  and 
rapid  movement,  is  characterized  by  a  thorough  knowl 
edge  of  the  spirit  of  the  time,  and  displays  clear  char 
acterization  and  great  power  of  analysis  of  human 
nature.  It  is  worth  reading,  for  it  will  interest  from  the 
first  page  to  the  last"  — Public  Ledger,  Philadelphia. 


J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  PHILADELPHIA 


When  Kings  Go  Forth 
to  Battle 

By  WILLIAM   WALLACE   WH1TELOCK 

Author  of  "  The  Literary   Guillotine,"  etc. 

A  small  German  principality  is  the  seat  of 
exciting  warfare.  An  unscrupulous  king  and  a  con 
niving  "minister  of  interior  improvements  "  find 
their  match  in  two  invincible  Americans  who  keep 
the  secret  of  a  young  prince's  hiding-place,  and  with 
characteristic  American  energy  join  in  a  revolutionary 
plot  to  unseat  the  reigning  monarch  and  place  the 
prince  upon  the  throne. 

"  A  story  that  grasps  our  interest  with  its  first 
chapter  and  causes  us  to  follow  breathlessly  until  the 
climax."  — Baltimore  Sun. 

"  The  prettily  tinted  illustrations  by  Frank  H. 
Desch  are  particularly  praiseworthy." 

— Philadelphia  Press. 

"Told  with  energy  and  color,  and  it  is  well  worth 
reading."  — San  Francisco  Argonaut. 

"Some  excellent  illustrations  in  color  add  to  the 
beauty  of  the  volume."  — Nashville  American. 

THREE  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR  BY 
FRANK  H.  DESCH.       lamo.       Cloth,  $1.50. 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  ::  ::  ::  PHILADELPHIA 


Kinr     C. 

£522 
/ 

Lanier  of 

the  cavalry 

c 

MAft   1  6  194< 

JUN    1  0  1948 

MAR    3  1  W 

8 

JUM    I  Q  iitt* 

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M61185 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


